"Roland Perry" wrote in message
...
In message , at 22:26:38 on Fri, 3 Aug
2007, tim..... remarked:
They say all the ATOC cards [or is it phones] are going to be
compatible
with each other, but I wouldn't take bets on it.

Being technically compatible and using the same stored
value may not be the same thing :-(

That's a whole new can of worms, but are you suggesting one smartcard
could have the stored value from dozens of different TOCs upon it (and

No, just that one TOCs card would be useless at a different TOC
even though they were technically compatable, unless the issue of
funds sharing is resolved.

We need to be clear what is meant by "at a TOC" here.

For example, if you were using the barriers at Melton Mowbray station,
which will be run by East Midlands, but almost all the trains will be
New-XC, would you need to wave your EM or XC card? And what happens when
you change trains at Peterborough onto FCC, and next wave your card as you
leave the station at Huntingdon? Onto which bill (or from which prepay
reserve) would that journey be debited?

Some very fundamental issues need resolving here.

It must depend on the product you have pre-bought? If you have an Oyster
like PAYG card valid on NR, surely the payment will be made via Rail
Settlement Plan in the normal manner - it would presumablly be allocated to
the TOCs on the route in exactly the same way as now? Paul Corfield will
probably confirm that there is some sort of mechanism exactly like that for
the joint routes within the London zonal area, otherwise c2c, one, and
Chiltern are losing out. Same for a season ticket or season travecard -
where any operator is normally permitted.

The difficulties come if you try to get your head around loading a TOC
specific Advance Purchase ticket - thats going to need to be loaded along
with info that defines operator, train times, date, break of journey
restrictions, etc etc. I think it'll still be on a piece of card. Other
products that seem a nightmare to fit on a card are things like 4 for 2
groupsaves for example...

Also - exactly what geographical functionality have SWT been asked to
provide by the DfT? Certainly XC have been required to accept SWT cards in
the overlapping area, but does that actually mean SWT will sell a smartcard
Bournemouth to say Leeds ticket, or only that XC will accept a smartcard
Bournemouth to e.g. Waterloo ticket as far as Basingstoke... quite a
difference really. But going back to the first para, even if the card is
badged 'SWT' I'm sure XC will get their fraction of the price.

Paul