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Oyster card 'to be used on over-ground services'
23 Nov 2009

Commuters will soon be able to use pay-as-you-go Oyster cards on London's suburban overground trains, according to officials.

The BBC reported that London transport commissioner Peter Hendy is expecting an announcement about the roll-out by mayor Boris Johnson within "weeks" and transport adviser Kulveer Ranger expects the programme to be ready early next year.

Delays to the Oyster expansion have been criticised by campaigners, as the scheme was originally set to be ready by the end of 2009.

The deadline was moved to ensure that all rail operators were able to accept the integrated smart card system, which is also used on the London Overground, buses, trams, the Docklands Light Railway service and the London Underground.

Other regions in the UK are also moving towards smart cards and electronic ticketing systems that allow them to move between different modes of transportation.

A smart card scheme is set to be trialled on rail services in the Worcester area, according to the Birmingham Mail, while a multi-purse smart card is currently in use on regional buses and at local retailers in Bolton, Greater Manchester.