LIB DEMS CALL FOR URGENT OYSTERCARD INVESTIGATION 'BEFORE PASSENGER CONFIDENCE IS LOST'

11.20.48am GMT Thu 10th Mar 2005

Commenting on the failure of the Underground's smartcard Oyster ticket system that has forced London Underground to leave ticket barriers open during this morning's rush hour, the Liberal Democrats have renewed calls for an urgent and public investigation by the Mayor into the card's problems.

Liberal Democrat London Assembly Transport Spokesperson, Lynne Featherstone, said:-

"The Oystercard idea is a welcome addition to improving the way London transport network operates and should provide greater convenience for passengers. However, this latest glitch is a bitter blow to the image of Oyster card so soon after the Mayor promised that it would make small change a thing of the past.

"The Mayor must now undertake an urgent, full and transparent investigation into the issues that Oystercard is facing so that Londoners can be sure the system works properly."

ENDS

Alongside this current system failure, the Liberal Democrats would like other issues investigated including:-

· Technical problems preventing the fitting of Oystercard readers to the second and third doors of 'bendy buses'

· The Mayor's refusal to speed up the introduction of "capping" for the Oystercard causing passengers to be overcharged

· The 'bug' in pre-pay Oystercards that causes card holders to be overcharged on certain journeys

· Oystercard season ticket holders renewing online find if they haven't used the card within 48 hours it won't work

· Oystercard still unable to be used from many rail stations in outer London

· The failure of TfL to supply enough Oystercards to deal with the renewal of Freedom Passes in April 2004

· Oystercard's inability to tell the time preventing the 'Early Bird' discount system from becoming operational

· The admission by TfL that just 1% of people have bought pre-pay Oystercard