In message , Dave Arquati
writes

Paul Terry wrote:

(TfL abandons plans to add e-payments for parking and goods to
Oyster).
I wonder if that was a sweetener to help get the TOCs onside?

Would that have really bothered the TOCs?

I'm only guessing, of course, but I imagine they might feel happier
using a product that is purely for travel purposes, rather than
something that is more obviously a "Ken Card" that could be used for a
wide range of purchases.

Also, I wonder if there might have been some issue of storage capacity
on Oyster cards? TfL said they only require half the storage capacity
for their own use - hence the possibility of incorporating data for
parking meter charges, etc. But will extending Oyster to the TOCs mean
that some of this spare capacity will be needed for NR use (e.g. linking
with ITSO, if and when it happens).

I see, incidentally, that ATOC have just appointed a "Director London"
to oversee the introduction of smart-card technology - it didn't take
them long to swallow the bitter pill.
--
Paul Terry