TransLink, where's the Oyster?

[lightrail]

I ws just reading at Transport for London, that the pay-as-you-go (or as we call it - Smart card) Oyster Card will be accepted on all National Rail in London and on a riverboat service, in addiition to the existing, bus, trams, underground, DLR, overground and selected National Rail services.

I also found it interesting that:
- 80 per cent of all travel is made by Oyster Card
- less than 3% of fares are now paid in cash

Of major relevance for Translink, which is considering implementing fare gates, is that Oyster allows 40 people per minute to pass through a faregate, whereas the old tickets allow only 25 people per minute to pass through.

This to me is important, because the current tickets used by Translink would really slow down the use of faregates. Just look at how long it takes the reader to read them on the buses!

Finally, the Transport secretary wants to see an Oyster Card than can be used on any public transit across the UK. Can you imagine a single card that you could use to get s subway in Toronto and Skytrain in Vancouver?

It's time that BC got onto the Smartcard bandwagon and stop stalling. Smart cards increase ridership and reduce operating costs (once installed).