To improve Oyster facilities in the borough
Hounslow Council is calling on South West Trains to improve Oyster facilities after the company recently agreed to install top-up machines at all stations in the borough.
In a recent Borough Council meeting at the Civic Centre, Cllr Corinna Smart urged South West Trains to install top-up machines without further delay, and to ensure that station staff are trained in their use, able to assist passengers with enquiries and have the ability to retail Oyster tickets at ticket offices during opening hours.
Cllr Corinna Smart, Hounslow’s lead member for environment and transport said:
“The way it stands currently, South West Trains is the only train operator in London that does not offer Oyster top-up facilities at their stations.
“At the moment, passengers in Hounslow have to queue to top up at underground stations or newsagents and other shops; this is simply not convenient and can be the difference between catching and missing a train.
“More pertinently, if a mistake is made, Oyster users cannot correct their touch-in at the station, meaning passengers can be unnecessarily charged for a journey they didn’t make. We’ve seen many cases of this in the local media of late and it’s very frustrating.
“We are calling on the facilities and support staff to be significantly improved. Although pledging to make the improvements we demanded soon, the company have been unable to commit to a date when these upgrades will take place.
“We hope that South West Trains will prioritise installing Oyster top-up facilities in their stations and the residents of Hounslow get the fair treatment they deserve.”
February 15, 2011