TfL Replacement Buses and Oyster Prepay

[bb21]

Does anyone know if you need to touch in on replacement buses when using Oyster Prepay?

 

[W-on-Sea]

As a rule, no. The replacement buses might not have oyster reader pads, and if they do, they most likely won't be switched on, anyway.

 

[dzug2]

So effectively they are free buses?

 

[OwlMan]

Depends if anybody from the TOC is checking tickets.
You need a valid Rail Ticket (or Oyster) to travel, the bus driver does not take fares etc

Peter

 

[RJ]

So effectively they are free buses?

No, you can still get penalty fared for not holding a valid ticket.

 

[MikeWh]

So effectively they are free buses?

AIUI from a conversation with the helpdesk, you need to have an Oystercard or a valid paper ticket, but the section of the route covered by the bus is free. If the bus is in the middle of your journey then the two halves will be joined up by a special OSI, possibly by processing a retrospective refund.

Unfortunately I have not managed to check this out because it is many years since I last used a replacement bus. Like many people I try to avoid them like the plague, and with several lines to London from near to me it is usually not a problem.

 

[penaltyfines]

No, you can still get penalty fared for not holding a valid ticket.

If there are no oyster readers, they are effectively free to anyone with an oyster card with some credit on it.

Sounds like free buses to me!

 

[yorkie]

If there are no oyster readers, they are effectively free to anyone with an oyster card with some credit on it.

Sounds like free buses to me!

Not quite 'free' because 'free' suggests you can simply walk on one, with no Oyster card and no means to pay, which does not appear to be the case.

 

[Stats]

If the bus is in the middle of your journey then the two halves will be joined up by a special OSI, possibly by processing a retrospective refund.

Really? I foolishly took a rail replacement bus the other week and my journeys weren't joined up. :-x

 

[RJ]

Sounds like free buses to me!

Can you quote a veritable source that explicitly states that they're free for all?

 

[87015]

Really? I foolishly took a rail replacement bus the other week and my journeys weren't joined up. :-x

Which journey? The TOCs have to request from TfL that for the respective period what oyster charges need to be "joined up" for replacement buses, and some don't bother and just hope people don't notice they get charged more for a disrupted journey...

 

[CheapAndNerdy]

I caught a replacement bus service from Clapham Junction to Barnes on Sunday - no ticket checks. The gates at CLJ (at least at the end closest to the bus service) were open so if my journey was going to continue from Barnes on the train I may have decided to not bother tapping out, nor to tap in at Barnes. I don't know what the official rules are though in this case.

 

[clagmonster]

AIUI from a conversation with the helpdesk, you need to have an Oystercard or a valid paper ticket, but the section of the route covered by the bus is free. If the bus is in the middle of your journey then the two halves will be joined up by a special OSI, possibly by processing a retrospective refund.

Unfortunately I have not managed to check this out because it is many years since I last used a replacement bus. Like many people I try to avoid them like the plague, and with several lines to London from near to me it is usually not a problem.

I have experienced this on a LUL replacement bus from Euston-Golders Green. My journey was Kings Cross-Brent Cross (scooping the crossovers at either end of the possession), I touched the barriers at all four stated stations and was charged for the through journey.

There are also temporary walking OSIs set up for such occorances, it is possible that these may be automatically combined with a bus one as in such a circumstance I was charged for a through journey with:
Train Brent Cross-Golders
Replacement bus Golders-Belsive Park (or it may have been Hampstead)
Walk to Gospel Oak
Train to West Hampsted

Obviously the Northern Line was shut, but the NLL was also shut east of Gospel Oak (crossover again).

I did notice on Saturday though an SWT notice which stated that PAYG passengers must touch in/out at the stations when using replacement buses. What happens if you alight at a barriered station I don't know (if you board the bus at a barriered station, you could touch the barrier but not go through it).

 

[causton]

What happens if you alight at a barriered station I don't know (if you board the bus at a barriered station, you could touch the barrier but not go through it).

You could lean over the barrier and touch out!* :P Or there is a manual gate with a standalone validator usually around.

Of course, one solution would be to have the LU information assistant people that get scattered around the stations equipped with portable Oyster readers, much like the conductors on Routemasters. These could be equipped to touch in and out (and maybe issue paper tickets, albeit probably not on proper tube stock and just for the RRB section).

I wonder how much money TfL would actually gain from spending the money to collect all these fares - or if it's more cost effective to keep the situation as it is now!
Don't know how the situation would be with TOCs' RRBs though.

*PS: of course that isn't entirely a serious suggestion!

 

[mattdickinson]

One case where the official recommendation is to lean over the barrier to touch out is when Metropolitan line replacement bus services have run from Beaconsfield to Amersham. As there is no way to touch out at Beaconsfield, not doing so would leave you with an unresolved journey.