"Neil Williams" wrote:

On Feb 7, 11:28 am, eastender wrote:

So I pay by card which takes probably 10 times longer and by the
time I've finished there are 2 people waiting behind - ie a queue.

You poor man. Life must be so hard for you.

I agree with him in this instance. If the automatic ticket machine is
out of order (which includes to me not giving change or not accepting
any usually-accepted mode fo payment), then either the ticket office
should handle any transaction that would have been possible at the
machine, or travel from that station should be free of charge.

Ditto (i.e. agree about the substantive point, rather than the
associated vitriol).

I've seen it suggested that the GBP5 minimum Oyster top-up rule wasn't
necessarily all that popular among some staff (seen as sidelining ticket
offices etc) - I think some at least initially ignored it - maybe overly
strict adherence to it is an alternative form of protest for a few?
Though I imagine that it must be a qualified rule, with exemptions for
situations such as when none of the ticket machines are accepting cash
(a situation that itself shouldn't be allowed to occur often).

Newsagents and other shops aka 'Oyster Ticket Stops' are of course happy
to take whatever assortment of coins off your hands in return for
topping up your Oyster card.