I set off for choir rehearsal and popped into the newsagent to top-up my Oyster Card (for those readers from another country an Oyster Card is a pay-as-you-go travel card for buses, underground and now trains within the London zone areas and using it is cheaper than paying a cash fare). Anyway, the man behind the counter said 'it's not working' and advised me to take it to an Underground station to sort it out. We don't have an underground station where I live. I went back home to find the spare Oyster Card which we use for relatives/friends who visit. I took this one to the newsagent to see how much money was on it and whether that still worked. It did, and there was just over £4 on it - enough to get me to the nearest underground station. I decided to sort it out today because tomorrow I am working a shift in Oxfam in the morning and then I have my poetry class late afternoon so would have no time.
When I arrived at the underground station the two ticket offices were closed. The notice said they were only open at peak times! I finally found someone to ask and he advised me to go to the next station which would be open. I said this was really bad and he agreed and things are likely to get worse as there are plans to shut more ticket offices. What are people supposed to do? I set off on foot to the next one (about 5/10 minute walk). I was beginning to lose it by then. At this station the ticket office was open and the man gave me a new card and transferred what money was still on it to the new one. I thought he then asked me for £3 for the replacement 'this is a joke', I said ' charging me for a replacement when it isn't my fault.' He said 'no, £3 is what is left on your card.' I felt awful and apologised, saying what a bad day I was having.
It's taken me a long time to calm down. I wasted a whole morning trying to sort it out. Had I not had a spare card I would have had to pay full fare which is over £2 now (Oyster is £1.35). When the Oyster card first came in no one could have thought about the future. It is only just recently that top-ups were available at train stations even though you could use them there. I got stuck in London once when my card ran out of money. I couldn't find anywhere to top-up where I was and it was a Sunday and there were no ticket offices open. I landed up walking miles back to the main line train station and bought a train ticket so I could get home.
I intend to write to London Transport - or is it Boris Johnson - anyway someone, to complain. This isn't the back and beyond! God help those coming to the Olympics - our transport system will never cope. I am dreading the journey to the venues when I go, I really am.
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