The death of cash?

The cashless society moves a step closer today.

It comes with a large-scale trial encouraging Tube commuters to use their Oyster cards to pay for shopping as well as tickets.

At the moment 2.2 million passengers use the plastic smartcards to pay for their journeys.

But Transport chiefs want to expand the concept so that the cards can also be used at the 3,850 shops that sell bus and Tube passes.

The value of purchases will be deducted from a customer's card and save them the need to hand over cash.

Transport for London is already planning to remove all cash from buses by the start of next year to speed up boarding times. And TfL hopes to widen the Oyster card to suburban train lines serving London.

Jay Walder, finance director for TfL, said the plan to use the smart cards in shops "is a significant step towards extending the convenience of Oyster even further". He added: "The dash to the cash point and worrying about small change for parking could be things of the past."

One Tube source added: "People are already carrying these cards around to pay for tickets. So the next logical step is to allow them to use it for everyday purchases like newspapers, sandwiches and chocolate."

Ken Livingstone said: "Oyster is already making travel in London quicker and easier, by speeding up the bus service, cutting queues at Tube stations and helping to take cash off the buses.

"Now the smartcard technology can make Londoners' lives even easier. Oyster users will be able to pay for their car parking or for a pint of milk in the local shop with their Oyster card, instead of using cash."

TfL has advertised for a technology partner to help roll out the Oyster cards by next year, with trials starting by the end of this year.

It wants to copy a similar set up in Hong Kong, where the Octopus card can be used instead of cash.

A pilot scheme has already begun in four boroughs - Greenwich, Newham, Croydon and Lewisham - to allow library and leisure cards to double-up as Oyster cards.

Three million journeys a day on Tubes and buses are now being made by passengers using the Oyster card, which was introduced in 2003.