Transport for London is considering allowing Oyster
smartcard users to pay for low-value goods such as newspapers and
milk as well as train or bus journeys.
TfL has been running a pilot programme in the London boroughs of
Greenwich, Newham, Croydon and Lewisham where cards are being used
in libraries and leisure services.
The expansion plans for the Oyster card, which has more than 2.2
million users, echo those of the Hong Kong Octopus smartcard, which
has about seven million cards in circulation. In addition to making
journeys on the subway the Octopus cards can be used as a cash
alternative in phone booths, vending machines and snack bars.
Experts predict that Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags
and "contactless" payment card technologies will transform the UK
payment market.
Jay Walder, managing director of finance and planning at TfL,
said, "This is a significant step towards extending the convenience
of Oyster even further. The dash to the cash point and worrying
about small change for parking could be things of the past. Oyster
will become a quick and easy alternative for these kinds of
purchases."
TfL said stolen or lost cards can be stopped so no one else can
use them.
Last year there were calls for an inquiry into technical
problems that has hit the London Underground's new Oyster card
system.
A computer glitch prevented some underground passengers from
getting through Tube barriers.
The 17-year Prestige project is being delivered by a consortium
of EDS, Cubic Corporation, Fujitsu and WS Atkins in what is one of
the largest PFI schemes in the UK transport sector.