A quick question regarding the need for photocards with Oysters.

I have an Annual Oystercard and accompanying Gold Record Card. I also
have a very old photocard which used to be used when I would get a
monthly paper season ticket.

Yesterday at Liverpool Street station (LU side) I was stopped by a
non-uniformed ticket inspector, she went through all my tickets and said
I needed a photocard with my Goldcard. She was very very persistant
that I needed one. I asked if you still needed one with Oystercards,
which she replied of course you do.

I went through my wallet and found my old photocard used for purchasing
paper LU season tickets, which she reluctantly accepted. She spent ages
scanning my Oyster and looking at the various tickets in my ticket
holder. Hence I missed my connecting train (Very tight transfer time I
know), however I don't think my Oystercard is related to my photocard in
any way.

I spoke to various staff at different stations today who all said "you
do not need a photocard with a Oystercard". Ready to make a complaint,
I just spoke to a Revenue Protection Manager on the phone who covers
Liverpool Street who was rude to say the least. He said you must have a
photocard with an period Oystercard, and that the Inspector was right
and I was wrong.

Obviously I did'nt take it further as he implied he knows everything
about tickets. Setting aside the fact the inspector was very rude, was
she correct ?


Any thoughts .....

When they first launched Oyster card for annual seasons (sometime in
August 2003 I think it was) I had to supply my photocard number. Sometime
after that they changed the rules so you do not need a photocard with a
normal adult Oyster. This photocard number continued to appear on my
online oyster account for that card for some time after that, but it
appears to be no longer on there. Other Oyster cards registered after
this date had "XXXXX" or something like that in the photocard field.
Where an Oyster card needs a photocard (such as a student discount) it is
physically part of the card. i.e. the Oyster card and the photocard are
the same thing.

I, and other people I know, have been told a variety of crap from NR
staff regarding Oyster including:

1) Oyster loaded with season tickets are not valid on National Rail
(Silverlink)
2) Oyster pay as you go not valid on sections of NR where it is valid
(Thameslink Farringdon-London Bridge)
3) Gold record card required to be carried or Oyster-charged season is
not valid, despite the record card displaying "NOT VALID FOR TRAVEL".
(c2c)

You can take whatever they say with a pinch of salt.


This wasn't NR staff though. This was LU Revenue Protection staff, not
only the female doing the checks, but also her manager who I spoke to on
the phone. Neither of them knew / were aware that you no longer required
a photocard with an Oyster.

I spoke to LU customer services who have e-mailed me the relevent web
link. Any idea who to address my letter to ?

You should definitely complain. LU staff at a major station have no excuse
whatsoever for demanding to see something from you that has been obsolete
for several years.