Visitor Oyster card 'never runs out'

Most people who have spent any time in London in the past few years will be aware of Oyster cards, small plastic cards which can be loaded with money and used to pay for travel on the capital's public transport system.

Yesterday's free London paper Metro carried a story about Visitor Oyster cards – much like regular Oysters but available at coach ticket offices throughout the UK, "which allows coach travellers to buy their Oyster card before they even arrive in the capital".

The story continues:

The Visitor Oyster card comes pre-loaded with pay as you go and is ready for passengers to use as soon as they arrive in central London.

The pay as you go money on the card never runs out so people can use any money left over for future visits to London or pass it to friends and family visiting the capital.

The money never runs out? Brilliant – free transport for ever. Sadly, judging by the rest of par I think the reporter means 'expires' rather than 'runs out'...

And don't get me started on the term 'pay as you go'. You don't pay as you go – you pay in advance. I much prefer the term 'prepay'.