23/11/2009

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, Transport Secretary, Andrew Adonis, and the Train Operating Companies serving the capital today confirmed that the hundreds of thousands of passengers who travel on National Rail services within Greater London will be able to use Oyster pay as you go from 2 January 2010.

This follows agreement between Transport for London (TfL) and the Train Operating Companies, including South West Trains, to extend Oyster pay as you go to all National Rail routes within Greater London, zones 1-9, that currently accept Travelcards.

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: "I am delighted to be able to announce that the Oysterisation of all London's commuter rail services is to become a reality. Our hard work, determination and investment was not in vain. It has ended the crackers situation of Londoners not being able to use Oyster on every commuter route in the capital.

"Thousands of residents in Hounslow, Merton, Kingston, Richmond and Wandsworth will now be able to use Oyster pay as you go to travel from their local South West Trains station and then seamlessly hop onto TfL services without fumbling for another ticket or having to stop off and purchase one. Oyster will truly be the only ticket Londoners need to get around town."

Transport Secretary, Andrew Adonis, said: "Oyster pay as you go will transform travel in London as for the first time passengers will be able to travel seamlessly across the network and switch between underground and all overground rail services.

"If we are to encourage more people onto public transport we must make it as easy and convenient to use as possible. That is exactly what Oyster has done in London and why extending pay as you go to rail services is so important.

"Oyster on rail will open up a range of new journey opportunities for Londoners and will mean that rail passengers travelling into and across the capital from other parts of the country will only need one type of ticket. But we mustn't stop there - I want to see smart ticketing on all modes of public transport in England as quickly as possible."

Andy Pitt, Managing Director for South West Trains, added: "This is really great news for the hundreds of thousands of South West Trains passengers who travel within Greater London every year. The introduction of Oyster pay as you go will allow our customers to connect far more easily and conveniently between our trains and TfL's services within the city. It is another reason why taking the train is a greener, smarter and easier way to travel."

South West Trains serves 44 stations in the boroughs of Hounslow, Kingston, Merton, Richmond and Wandsworth, including Clapham Junction and London Waterloo. Passengers who use South West Trains to travel within Greater London each day are set to benefit from quicker, easier and more convenient ticketing. The extension of Oyster pay as you go to National Rail services in London will also benefit those who travel around the Capital for work, business or pleasure including passengers who use Wimbledon loop services operated by First Capital Connect in south west London.

Daniel Balthasar, who uses Barnes station in south west London said: "The introduction of Oyster pay as you go to all South West Trains stations is fantastic news. This will mean that I only need one card to travel from my local train station to anywhere in the Capital.

"I can sign up for Auto-top-up which will ensure I never run out of pay as you go credit as when ever by balance falls below £5 my credit will be automatically topped up. It saves me from queuing in the mornings and if I decide to go out in the evenings I don't need to decide what ticket to buy in the morning, all I need to do is touch my Oyster on the reader and it automatically deducts the correct fare. This will make my travel journeys a lot easier and more convenient.

"The advent of Oyster pay as you go on all train stations in London is long overdue and I can't wait for it to come into effect."

Train Operating Companies (including South West Trains) will set Oyster pay as you go fares on the National Rail network. These will be zonally based, but will be different from fares on TfL services. TfL fares will apply on the Tube, DLR, London Overground and National Rail services that currently accept Oyster pay as you go. An additional combined TfL/National Rail fare will be introduced for journeys that incorporate both TfL and National Rail services.

Ends

Notes to Editors

• Anytime day cash fares on trains in Greater London will, from 2 January 2010, be frozen at current prices.
• In the overwhelming majority of cases, Oyster pay as you go offers the cheapest single rail fare applicable to that particular route. The only exceptions are holders of certain National Railcards (Network, Family and Goldcard) for whom cheaper paper tickets for travel on National Rail may be available. Passengers are advised to check the best fare before travelling with the relevant train operator.
• A sample of fares can be found below:

• The agreements between Transport for London and the individual Train Operating Companies were reached through the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC). Contracts have now been signed between TfL and individual train companies for Oyster pay as you go to be accepted.
• The agreement will enable passengers to use Oyster pay as you go on all National Rail services within Greater London (zones 1-6) from 2 January 2010.
• South West Trains services operate across south west London into London Waterloo via Clapham Junction. South West Trains serve 44 stations in Greater London including 8 in Hounslow, 12 in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, 3 in Merton, 14 in the Royal Borough of Richmond upon Thames and 5 in Wandsworth.
• South West Trains also serves 2 stations in the boroughs of Lambeth and Sutton - Vauxhall and Worcester Park.
• The busiest Southwest Trains stations in south west London (excluding London Waterloo) are: Clapham Junction, Wimbledon, Vauxhall, Surbiton, Putney, Richmond, Earlsfield, Kingston, Twickenham and Raynes Park.
• Approximately 250,000 passengers travel on South West Trains services wholly within Greater London each day.
• National Rail stations in south west London also include those on the Wimbledon loop, such as Haydons Road, Wimbledon, Wimbledon Chase, South Merton, Morden South and St Helier. Services are operated by First Capital Connect and destinations include Blackfriars, St Pancras International, St Albans and Luton.
• There are over 200 Oyster Ticket Stops across south west London including 51 in Hounslow, 35 in Kingston, 42 in Merton, 30 in Richmond and 50 in Wandsworth.
• Oyster pay as you go is currently accepted across TfL's London Overground network, at all London stations served by Chiltern, c2c and First Great Western; by National Express East Anglia Hackney area services, on Southern between Clapham Junction and Watford Junction; and Balham and London Victoria and on London Midland services between Watford and Euston. It is also valid on First Capital Connect services between Elephant & Castle / London Bridge and West Hampstead.
• More than 80% of all Tube and bus journeys in London are now made with Oyster. In the five years since the introduction of Oyster, the proportion of cash single journeys on the Tube and buses has fallen to just three per cent.
• When passengers use Oyster they must touch in and out on the yellow card readers on the Tube, Docklands Light Railway, London Overground and on National Rail services where applicable. On buses and trams they need just touch in at the start of their journey.
• From 2 January 2010, the Oyster system will automatically calculate the correct fare for a journey on the Tube, DLR, London Overground and National Rail services within a fifth of a second from up to 5 million permutations.
• Passengers are recommended to register their Oyster card so that any tickets or pay as you go credit is protected if the card is lost or stolen.
• Almost three times as many passengers can pass through a Tube station gateline using an Oyster card, compared to using paper tickets - 40 a minute compared to 15 a minute.
• Oyster is also available: online at: www.tfl.gov.uk/oyster, over the phone via 0845 330 9876, at London Underground or Overground Ticket Offices and ticket machines, at Travel Information Centres across London, at one of 3500 Oyster Ticket Stops in London. You can find your nearest Oyster outlet through the TfL website.