University Degree Work

[Cloakey27]

Hi there,

just wondering if anyone would be able to help me. I'm currently do a piece of work on how the Ticket Barriers on the London Underground could be Innovated or Improved in any way.

My idea is to create Barriers with body scanners built in which would scan the commuter on their way through the barrier and pick up the signal from their Oyster card. Theses barriers would be in addition to the current Barriers and simply allow a faster option for commuters who do not have their Oyster Card to hand.


Any Feedback on the Idea would be great

 

[yorkie]

Therefore a barrier with a scanner for Oysters in it maybe?

As far as I know, all LU barriers have Oyster readers, so I am confused.

 

[Nym]

Or just people having their tickets ready to present, perhaps an NVQ in how to use a ticket barrier...

On a more serious note, could you provide some more spesific information as to what you're looking for; if you're supposed to be coming up with innovations or innovative ideas yourself is it not best to do that, you know, yourself? If it is the case that you're ment to be doing this then I wouldn't expect much help from anyone on here.

On the other hand if you're looking to collate others' ideas about innovative ideas and presenting it as such, I'd expect a million wannabe transport planners and engineers coming up with it...

PS: Could you correct your spelling and grammar in the OP?

 

[Mojo]

As far as I know, all LU barriers have Oyster readers, so I am confused.

I think he was suggesting some sort of body-scanner that can read an Oyster card anywhere on your person.

Of course aside from the fundamental flaw of the fact that the system requires the card to be in close proximity, unless you are going to start fitting batteries to Oyster cards, this also has the problems:
a) what if the customer has multiple Oyster cards
b) coming soon, contactless payment cards will be accepted as payment on LU services, so how do you know which of many cards (Oyster, Credit and Debit) to use
c) you don't want to let too many people though the gates as they are an important part of congestion control at stations

 

[PaxVobiscum]

...could you provide some more spesific information...it is the case that you're ment to be doing this...

PS: Could you correct your spelling and grammar in the OP?

Happens to me too whenever I make a post like that.

 

[notaspota]

I think the hugest problem is there aren't barriers at every station on the Underground, mainly due to the structure of some stations. There are oyster validators at every station, but still, this is a problem because of fare evasion.

Also, the lack of smartcard recognition for cards such as The Key, the deployment of the readers for other smartcards is too slow.

 

[Zoidberg]

Happens to me too whenever I make a post like that.

I did smile - a lot!

 

[Nym]

Happens to me too whenever I make a post like that.

I'm not writing stuff for a university report though...

(And I'd just suffered nearly 3hrs on HT...)

 

[yorkie]

I'm not writing stuff for a university report though...

(And I'd just suffered nearly 3hrs on HT...)

The OP, yourself, and everyone else in this thread is contributing to an online forum, the Rules of which are quite clear. Now, can we get back on topic please?

To answer the question as to why there are not scanners that can read any card you carry at longer distances, Mojo has hit the nail on the head.

I caused a delay when my Oyster card was next to my contactless debit card, so I now try to be more careful about where I put my cards, and another forum member was unexpectedly charged from a contactless debit card, which became within range of a reader.

 

[Mojo]

Also, the lack of smartcard recognition for cards such as The Key, the deployment of the readers for other smartcards is too slow.

I actually believe that the rollout of the tri reader which can read Itso, Oyster and Contactless payment cards is pretty widespread now.

 

[Clip]

Hi there,

just wondering if anyone would be able to help me. I'm currently do a piece of work on how the Ticket Barriers on the London Underground could be Innovated or Improved in any way.

My idea is to create Barriers with body scanners built in which would scan the commuter on their way through the barrier and pick up the signal from their Oyster card. Theses barriers would be in addition to the current Barriers and simply allow a faster option for commuters who do not have their Oyster Card to hand.


Any Feedback on the Idea would be great

For me the idea of a body scanner is not something I would like to have to be subjected to every day of my life- though Im not sure you actually meant a full body scanner.

As Mojo has outlined the idea for something that you wouldnt have to take out your pocket for would require a battery on your Oyster so isnt feasible given the size of the cards or any other contactless ones you may have on your person.

The best improvement for flow through the barriers is for people to actually have their Oyster or paper ticket ready WAYYYYYYY before they get to the barrier. A simple solution, thats free to implement too.

 

[Mojo]

Maybe a mechanical arm that comes down from the station ceiling and pushes anyone out of the way that is causing a blockage? Similar to what you get at the bowling alley to knock the pins down the back

 

[CatfordCat]

The practical difficulty I can see with this (apart from the one about getting a scanner / card combination powerful enough to scan at any distance) is that if it can scan a card at a fair distance, how will the system know

a) that it's my card it's scanned
b) that it's me trying to get through the barrier

isn't there risk it might scan my card and let someone else through if it scans over a wide area?

improved signing and education of travellers might help. had to assist an out of London visitor at London Bridge underground a few weeks back who was repeatedly batting a paper travelcard on to the Oyster reader and getting annoyed with it. The slots for paper tickets aren't all that obvious.