Request ID: FOI-1524-2223 Date published: 19 October 2022
You asked
the information I am requesting is the up-to-date specification of what should happen when cards touch readers multiple times at the same station. The information should include differences between Oyster cards and contactless cards or devices, and between touching the same validator or an adjacent one or a gate reader. I require information for both entry-exit and exit-entry.
I would also like to know the date that changes to continuation exit and the cancellation of the max fare within 45 minutes occured. And please also confirm the current list of continuation exit stations (where 15 minutes has to be left between validator touches) and continuation entry stations. I believe Finsbury Park may no longer appear in one or both of those lists, while Elizabeth line stations in East London may have been added.
We answered
TfL Ref: FOI-1524-2223
Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 23 September 2022, asking for information about multiple Oyster or contactless card touches at the same station.
Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy. I can confirm that we hold the information you require. Specifically you asked:
In particular, there no longer seems to be a two-minute continuation exit on validators.
There is no two-minute continuation exit functionality on validators.
The wording on your website no longer says that entry and exit within two minutes must be through a gate to enable the cancellation within 45 minutes.
We are not aware of the wording on the website having changed.
Same station exit is not limited to gates only for the ‘within 45 minute’ logic to work. If a customer touches in and out of the same station from a gate to a validator within 2 minutes and re-enters the same or a different station within 45mins, the same station exit charge from the same/another station is voided and a new journey is started. Please note ‘cancellation within 45mins’ is not the right term.
I’ve also had reports that touching the same Oyster card on the same validator within 30 seconds produces an error, but this doesn’t appear to be the case with a contactless card or device.
Yes, that’s correct. To avoid customers being charged a maximum fare twice if they accidently touch their card again on the same validator, there is a 30 second ‘repeat presentation’ timeout for both Oyster and contactless. With Oyster, an error code ’42 Passback’ message is displayed and a different beep sound played. With contactless, only ‘Card accepted’ is displayed. If customers think they have been charged twice, they can check their journey history and see the number of entries at the same station/validator before being charged a new fare. At gates, for both Oyster and contactless, the ‘42 Passback’ error message is displayed.
Please note it’s the same functionality for both Oyster and contactless; the only difference is that Oyster users get a ‘Passback’ message and contactless users don’t.
The information I am requesting is the up-to-date specification of what should happen when cards touch readers multiple times at the same station.
Information on what happens is clearly stated on our website. If customers believe they have been overcharged, they should first check their journey history. If they still think they have been overcharged they can contact TfL for help.
We are not obliged to supply more detailed information relating to how Oyster and Contactless validations are treated, as it is subject to a statutory exemption to the right of access to information under section 31 - Law Enforcement, specifically subsections 31(1)(a) and 31(1)(b).
In this instance the exemption applies as the specifications for the behaviour of Oyster and Contactless cards in various validation scenarios could be used by people with nefarious intent on identifying ways in which they could evade paying the correct fare. Disclosure would be likely to prejudice our efforts to prevent and detect this future fraudulent behaviour.
The use of these exemptions is subject to an assessment of the public interest in relation to the disclosure of the information concerned. We recognise the need for openness and transparency by public authorities, but in this instance we consider that there is greater public interest in ensuring that the correct fares are paid for any journeys made on our network.
And my experience of using contactless cards suggests that a same station exit within 0-2 and 2-30 minutes does not cause either a maximum fare or a minimum fare to be charged.
Yes, that’s correct. When contactless was first introduced, a softer approach for contactless was felt to be appropriate. Whether that remains the case is under consideration.
I would also like to know the date that changes to continuation exit and the cancellation of the max fare within 45 minutes occurred.
There have been no changes to continuation exit and the cancellation of the max fare within 45 minutes functions.
And please also confirm the current list of continuation exit stations (where 15 minutes has to be left between validator touches) and continuation entry stations.
A list of current continuation exit stations is attached.
If this is not the information you are looking for, or if you are unable to access it for any reason, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal as well as information on copyright and what to do if you would like to re-use any of the information we have disclosed.
Yours sincerely
Eva Hextall FOI Case Management Team General Counsel Transport for London
