Anger at Oyster cards 'rip-off' as millions hit for not 'touching out'

Commuters are facing a multi-million-pound Oyster card "rip-off" as record numbers are overcharged for journeys.

Passengers will pay charges of at least £67 million this year partly because rail bosses have either failed to install barriers or leave the gates open.

Millions who do not touch in or out must pay a new penalty fare of £6.50 — up more than eight per cent on last year. Campaigners accused train companies of deliberately leaving ticket barriers open or not installing them simply to boost profits.

The claim comes days after most London commuters were hit by fare rises of up to 12.8 per cent on trains and an average seven per cent on the Tube.

Val Shawcross, chairwoman of the Assembly's transport committee, said: "It is absolutely shocking that passengers are being fleeced in this way."

Figures obtained by the Standard show that rail and Tube passengers are already paying about £5 million a month in maximum fares for journeys where their cards are not properly swiped.

The maximum penalty charged to each person has gone up from £6 to £6.50 — meaning the total cost including fines could top £67.1 million this year. This is up from £56.9 million last year. The penalty fare is the equivalent of riding from central London to a zone six station such as Heathrow, even if a traveller only goes a couple of stops within zone one.

Transport for London, which revealed the figures in response to a Freedom of Information request, pointed the finger of blame at train companies. It said: "The number of maximum fares incurred on National Rail is significantly higher than TfL services because a large number of stations do not have ticket barriers to act as a physical reminder to touch in and out.

"We continue to urge train operating companies to increase the number of barriers on their stations." The train companies keep cash from the penalty fares incurred on their network — in part to cover the cost of the ticket.

The firms said they would only install more gates at smaller London stations if these "represented value for money". The main stations already have them.

A spokesman for the Association of Train Operating Companies said: "Every overground station that is not gated has Oyster validators located near entrances and exits.

"Also, prominent advertising and regular announcements in stations stress the importance of touching in and out to avoid the maximum fare."

The train companies and TfL have set up a task force to investigate the issue. But Lib-Dem Assembly member Caroline Pidgeon said: "TfL and the train companies are simply profiting from passengers, in addition to hiking fares.

"Finger-pointing helps no one. They need to be looking at what changes are needed to minimise the chances of these penalties, for example by installing more barriers at stations."

In addition, the rail firms are under pressure to give passengers better information on touching in and out — and what will happen if they don't.

They have also faced criticism that barriers are often left open or that swipe machines are not working.

Jo deBank, of the passenger group London TravelWatch, said: "TfL needs to look into this properly and work with National Rail to solve this.

"Ultimately we would like to see all stations gated and staffed wherever possible."

She urged Oyster users to reclaim overcharged amounts. "A tiny percentage of people bother to claim, which gives the companies little incentive to sort it out," she said.

A spokeswoman for TfL said: "Oyster customers who fail to touch in and out correctly on National Rail or the London Underground are charged a maximum fare.

"Any customer who believes that they have been incorrectly charged should contact the Oyster helpline.

"Automatic refunds will be arranged by TfL for passengers who are unable to touch in and out correctly due to service disruptions."

Exclusive figures show that in the 11 months to November, passengers failed to touch in or out at the start or end of a journey 13.2 million times. The penalty charges for the period came to a total of £56.9 million.