'Oyster Cards' for the london transport system - Are they breaking any monopoly law/human rights laws?
By charging for the same journey (to be increased in 2007 to £2 for a single bus journey & £4 for the tube!!) a smaller amount compared to un-capped rases in cash prices for forcing you to enter your personal details and bank details to use the 'Oyster' card system, is there a question of monopoly or infringement of human rights regarding self identification or monitoring of movements, this of course highlighted during the tube scares where an oyster card was used to backtrack movements of passengers?
Its not about my details, its about the use of a controlled transport system and its 'power of demand' on the passengers and the use of information and monopoly.
If its about not keeping cash, then why cant I swipe my debit card instead?
IS IT FAIR? to charge more if paying cash?
Answers:
YES IT IS FAIR
Using an oyster card speeds up the transport system and therefore makes it more efficient.
This means that either extra services can be run (improving the service),savings can be made by reducing services to the level needed, or staff in ticket offices can be cut.
All of these are ways that Oyster card users are helping reduce price increases FOR ALL BUS/TUBE USERS IN LONDON
It's no different to buying a weekly or monthly rail card/bus pass anywhere elso in the country.
If you don't want to use it hen don't but don't make pointless, stupid, arguments like this about it being an infringement on your rights.
the extra you pay for cash is your incentive to change. to the oyster card. if your privacy is worth the extra money then pay cash.
I don't think it's fair to charge more for paying cash.
However, I do think that they are entirely within their rights to charge whatever they want.
There is no such thing as "public" transport in Britain in the true sense any more; it was all privatised long ago, and is now run by private companies.
Also, there is some sense to be made from adopting this system. It will mean that there would be no need to carry cash on you when travelling on the underground, which could possibly mean a reduction in the number of muggings and beggars / minstrals.
As for human rights, I despise the human rights act. It is abused left, right, and centre. If I had my way, people living in this country would have to earn their rights, by doing national service.
Well i dont agree with either the increase in tube fares or the push towards oyster cards but if you do get one you dont actually have to enter any personal details like credit/debit card numbers or even your name, you can put you name down as Obiwan Kenobi if you like since the ppl in the stations dont really care who you are and dont ask for any proof of ID. Also if you have a oyster Prepay and dont mind only topping up at a machine, then if you leave the tube without touching out you dont get charged.
Does ken really just wanna kill London by not allowing anyone in? with the increase in price and planned expansion of the congestion charge, and the rise in tube fares especially for visitors and tourists..
I thought it was a good system but then again I only visit London once a month and I think the cash prices on the tube are a rip off, if enough people complain to trading standards they can investigate
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