Petition for Oyster at overground stations (From Enfield Independent)

Petition for Oyster at overground stations

5:44pm Monday 7th September 2009

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FED-UP travellers signed a petition at the weekend to bring pay-as-you-travel Oyster card readers to Enfield’s overground stations.

Currently Oyster holders who have a weekly, monthly or yearly travelcard on their Oyster card can use it across train, tube and bus networks.

But not all stations have card readers and so pay-as-you-go travellers cannot swipe in and out.

In addition, anyone buying a daily travelcard must get a paper ticket, as these are not available on Oyster.

Liberal Democrat Greater London Assembly member Caroline Pidgeon highlighted the issue during her visit to the Enfield Town Show this weekend.

She criticised London Mayor Boris Johnson’s response to the problem.

"In his transport manifesto, the Mayor stressed the importance of holding an 'emergency' train summit with the train operating companies (TOCs) to ensure that Oyster was available at every train station,” she said.

“Within weeks of being elected he promised that the summit with the TOCs would be held before the summer and that Oyster would be rolled out across the whole London rail network by May 2009.

"One year later the harsh reality is that no train summit has been called and every promise the Mayor has made about Oyster extension has been delayed again and again. Quite frankly Boris Johnson has seen more train delays than Reggie Perrin."

Visitors to the Enfield Town Show signed the petition, which will be delivered to Mr Johnson. Passengers have been waiting for card readers to be installed at stations for at least a year.

In many stations, they have been installed, but remain disconnected and covered up.

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