Londons Oyster card system crashes giving thousands free travel

London's Oyster card system crashes, giving thousands free travel

Barriers at rail and tube stations opened by staff after Oyster card swipe machines fail to work throughout the network



Thousands of rail, bus and Tube passengers enjoyed free transport on Saturday after London’s Oyster card network collapsed.

Barriers are rail and tube stations were opened by staff after Oyster card 'reader' machines used to register the start and end of each journey failed to work throughout the network.

The readers also failed to work on London's buses, allowing passengers a free journey.


A sign at Victoria Station advises travellers of the Oyster network problems  

The glitch, which is likely to cost Transport for London tens of thousands of pounds in lost revenue, came on the day new fare increases were introduced, with journey prices going up by an average of one per cent.

Office workers and shoppers reported not being able to use their Oyster cards at the start of their journeys.

Platform staff at several mainline stations appeared to be aware of the problem, with one attendant at Victoria station telling travellers: “We’re aware of the problems with Oyster cards. It’s the same on the Underground. Just pass straight through the barriers.”

A TfL spokesperson said: "We are experiencing technical issues with our Oyster Card readers this morning. We are working extremely hard with our contractors to resolve the issue as quickly as possible. In the meantime, customers can continue to travel across the Tube, bus and rail networks. We apologise for this disruption."

The glitch comes amid claims that rail fares have risen at three times the rate of wages in recent years, leaving ticket prices “increasingly divorced from reality”.

Long-suffering commuters from January 2 face the latest annual price hike for their tickets, as campaigners said services were so poor in parts of the country that passengers would be amazed rises would be allowed.

The latest annual rise means fares have risen at three time the rate of wagepay packets since David Cameron was elected Prime Minister in 2010, according to an analysis by Labour.

The collapse of the Oyster network produced a predictable response on social media, with users urging travellers to make the most of it.