Poor service at Upney station

I went to Upney station at about 11.30 on a weekday (as I was passing) to get a couple of customer charter refunds put on my Oyster Card. There was one member of staff doing nothing in particular, so I thought if I stood by the ticket window he would come and serve me. There were no other customers. There was, though, another staff member in the ticket office, who, instead of serving me pointed out that the ticket office was closed, even coming out to show me the sign saying that it was closed, telling me that I could buy a ticket from the machine (though I had told him why I was there) and repeating several times that I could be served the next morning (no good to me).

This is very poor customer service - it would have been easier and quicker to serve me than to take all that time telling me that he couldn't.

I'm quite happy getting things from the internet or machines, but if that's not possible, and staff are available, why couldn't they help me?

Abbey Green Consultation Week

Consultation about the re-ordering of Abbey Green in Barking's historic core continues, with a meeting, an exhibition and guided walks to discuss the project during the week of Saturday 23 - Friday 29 January.

http://www.aboutmyarea.co.uk/East-London/Barking/IG11/In-Touch/Nature-and-Green-Spaces/151521-Last-chance-to-shape-Green%E2%80%99s-future

Has full details. If you can get along to put in a word for cycling, please do.

Oyster Extension Permits

From http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets/oysteronline/13727.aspx#section-5

"If you want to travel beyond the zones covered by your Travelcard on National Rail services within London you must set an Oyster Extension Permit on your card before you travel. This means you will use pay as you go once you've gone outside the zone.

Oyster Extension Permits

* You can set your permit at any Tube or London Overground station ticket office or touchscreen ticket machine, Oyster Ticket Stops, some National Rail ticket offices or self-service ticket machines
* You only need to set an Oyster Extension Permit when you start a journey within the zones covered by your Travelcard and want to travel outside those zones on National Rail
* Only set your permit to your card just before you make your extension journey
* You must have at least £1.50 pay as you go balance on your Oyster card to set one
* A permit stays on your card until you touch out at the end of your journey
* When touching out, the permit will be cleared from your Oyster card and the fare for the extension journey will be deducted from your pay as you go balance"


From http://www.firstcapitalconnect.co.uk/Main.php?iCmsPageId=509 (my emphasis)


When using a Travelcard and Oyster pay as you go together

If you are planning to use Oyster pay as you go on National Rail services in London but outside the Zones covered by your Travelcard, you may need to have an Oyster Extension Permit on your card before you travel. If you travel without an Oyster Extension Permit you may be liable to a Penalty fare or prosecution."

According to this, when I'm travelling via Fenchurch Street (ie on National Rail) using my Zone 3&4 travelcard for zones 3 & 4 and PAYG for zones 1 & 2, I must have (TfL) or may need (FCC) an OEP. I never needed one before and there's nothing at Barking warning people. I think the TfL info is wrong.

Please note the following important points about Oyster Extension Permits:

- An Oyster extension permit must be set on your Oystercard if you start your journey at a station where your Travelcard is valid.
- You must have a minimum pay as you go balance on your Oyster card to add one.
- Oyster Extension Permits can be set at any Tube or London Overground station ticket office or
touchscreen ticket machine; Oyster Ticket Stops; selected National Rail ticket offices or self-service ticket machines displaying the Oyster card reader logo.
- An Oyster Extension Permit remains on your card until you touch out at the end of your extension journey.
- When touching out at your destination station, the Oyster Extension Permit will be cleared from your Oyster card and the correct fare for the extension journey will be deducted from your pay as you go balance.