Paul Corfield wrote:
On Sun, 14 May 2006 13:54:40 GMT, "Bob Wood"
wrote:

Paul Corfield wrote:

On 14 May 2006 03:53:48 -0700, "
wrote:

I asked the oystercard people if it was possible to set the top up
threshold higher than £5. I mainly use buses, live a mile from a
tube station and the local newsagent charges 80p for an Oyster top
up. Their response was:

*******

"
Please be advised that unfortunately it is not possible to change
this to £10, however if you know that your card is below £5 and
want to
top it up you can go to an underground station and swipe your card
on the yellow readers and it will top up, you do not have to make a
journey.

If you are not making a journey you will be charged a small fee
however this can be refunded from the ticket desk.
"

How much is the "small fee" for topping up? What advantages does
this have over just going to the ticket desk? Anyways I don't live
near enough to a tube station for this to be an option.



a) Since when did newsagents have the right to charge passengers
for topping up?


They don't. They don't charge. Nobody said they did.

I'm afraid the OP *did* say he was charged. Have a look above for the
row of ********.

He has later clarified that he is being charged for using a debit card
but that is still outrageous as I am damn sure the commission paid by
TfL / Transys for the top up will be greater than for a debit card
txn. Paying to transfer cash from one electronic form to another via a
further electronic form - lots of expense there isn't there?

I stand corrected - although it does seem to me that this is not a fee
for topping up, but for using the credit card.



--
Bob