Tyranny of Forced Payment Innovation

Posted on: 19/08/2017

An absolutely disgraceful story of the role of Transport for London ( recently renamed "Tyranny for London" (TfL)) in forcing unwanted payment innovation.

Recently, TfL ruled that all London Black Cabs MUST accept card payments. Around 50% of drivers had previously elected to take cash payments, mainly to avoid the high commissions -between 3.5 and 5% - levied by card schemes.

TfL are, of course, great supporters of card schemes. A couple of years ago they took the unbelievable (meaning unbelievably stupid) step of surrendering the leading position of their own "Oyster" travel card, allowing Visa and MasterCard to muscle in.

Previous to this daft TfL  decision, "contactless" had been a dead duck in the UK. No one was really interested. Then the kiss of life came from TfL. Tap Visa & MasterCard and you can go anywhere in London. Of course, you won't know what you are paying until much later but that's good (for the card schemes) because it means that you spend more than you know, want or should. Which is basically why contactless was invented.

Personal debt is at its highest ever level in the UK. Are you STILL wondering why?

Of course, TfL were not satisfied with allowing contactless to be used. They wanted to FORCE the public to use it. Hey presto: cash is banned for ticket purchase on London Buses.

Tyranny. It is as simple as that.

Now, the latest extraordinary intervention by these demagogues.

If a London Taxi has a faulty card reader, it HAS to come off the road! The driver cannot continue, accepting cash, until the equipment is repaired. Their cab is no longer allowed to accept business.

The utter folly of this is obvious. Does a shop have to close because its card machine is not working? OF COURSE NOT.

Enough is enough. TfL have gone too far -MUCH TOO FAR- this time.

We shall be writing to the board of TfL DEMANDING that this tyranny ends. No Black Cab should have to withdraw from service because a card reader is not working.

TfL now need to be put in their place - or, better still, disbanded. They are Terrible for London - and always have been.

 

 

 




©2024 Cash Is Cool
Website design by Modern Websites