Published: 19 April 2007
Free Oysters on the London Travel Menu
The Mayor of London is launching a major new campaign, which will include giving away 100,000 Oyster cards on a first come, first served basis to new customers.
The intention is to encourage all Londoners, particularly those on a low income, to use an Oyster card, which provides the cheapest way of travelling on London's public transport system.
The Mayor claims that the Oyster has been a huge success and this promotion is aimed at encouraging those who are not taking advantage of the cheaper, faster & more convenient travel it provides to do so.
38 million journeys a week are made each week using Oyster. Almost three times as many passengers can pass an Underground ticket barrier using Oyster card as can using printed tickets - 40 a minute compared to 15 a minute.
As part of the promotion, 100,000 Oyster cards will now be given away through national, local and community press adverts, targeted at London's communities where Oyster take-up is lower.
Fares are always cheaper using Oyster: a single bus fare is £1 and a single Tube fare is £1.50 - these are the same as 2000 prices.
The free Oyster cards are available on a first come first served basis for all passengers who currently do not already have one.
Those who apply will not have to pay the usual £3 deposit.
With more than 10 million Oyster cards issued, over three-quarters of all Tube and Bus journeys are now made using Oyster. The latest figures show that the number of single journeys now paid for by cash is extremely low, at just 4% on London Underground and 3% on buses.
The Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, said:
"Oyster has revolutionised the way people travel in London.
Fares are cheaper using Oyster and it has speeded up the network by reducing queues.
With more than ten million Oyster cards issued, the vast majority of people across London are already enjoying its benefits.
This campaign is encouraging Oyster uptake amongst passengers who are still paying cash and therefore paying more.
You can buy an Oyster card over the counter at any London Underground ticket office without filling out any forms or providing any personal information."
Actually, when buying an oyster card recently one was told to fill in a form and give personal information, but that was to register the card so that the money is protected if the card is lost or stolen.
With Oyster pay-as-you-go you can place an amount on your Oyster card so when you touch in and out at the yellow readers on the Tube and DLR or touch in on the tram or bus, the reader automatically deducts the correct fare.
Passengers can store up to three different Travelcards or Bus Pass season tickets and "pay as you go" on the same Oyster card at the same time.
Oyster cards are also used to provide free travel for Londoners aged over 60 or with an eligible disability through the Freedom Pass scheme and, on the buses and trams, under 18s in full-time education can also get Oyster photocards for free travel.
When passengers use the Oyster card to touch in & out on the yellow readers on the bus, Tube, DLR and tram the system automatically works out the right fare for the journey within a fifth of a second working through up to 1.83 million possible options.
The campaign started on Monday 16 April across a range of publications.
Further information
Oyster website
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