Smartspace Software Share Discussion Threads

[garth] 18/1/2007 08:57

Marked back up a notch at the off?

[garth] 17/1/2007 04:19

C2C first to accept TfL offer to fund Oyster
Filed 17/01/07

Train operator C2C has become the first rail company to accept an offer of funding from Transport for London to pay for smartcard infrastructure to support Oyster pay as you go. Fifteen days remain before the offer to train operators expires.

From later this year Oyster pre-pay - already available at C2C stations between Fenchurch Street and Upminster - will be extended to Dagenham Dock and Rainham. TfL and C2C are also working to roll out Oyster beyond the London area and there are plans to make Oyster available at Purfleet, Grays, Chafford Hundred and Ockendon by summer 2008.

TfL has agreed to provide Oyster card validation equipment, including smartcard readers, station equipment and back office support systems. National Express-owned C2C will pay for the installation of the technology, as well as any running costs associated with operating and maintaining it.

London Mayor Ken Livingstone said: "This is extremely good news and will bring real benefits to the commuters who use these services. I welcome C2C's decision to adopt Oyster at their stations, allowing their passengers to get the full benefit of Oyster including pay as you go. C2C has shown that there is no justifiable reason why other train operating companies should not also accept my offer to pay them £20m to install Oyster equipment."

The agreement means C2C will become the first National Rail train operator to support the full range of Oyster products within the London area. Chiltern Railways now offers Oyster pre-pay at London Marylebone and has plans to roll-out support to other stations. However, it has not yet committed to supporting the full range of Oyster products on trains and at all stations in Zones 1-6.

In May 2006 the Mayor announced a funding package worth £20m would be made available to the train operators to finance the technology required to accept Oyster pay as you go at every station in Zones 1-6. The offer expires on 31 January.

[garth] 16/1/2007 15:08

Millsawm,

I was just reading that piece myself. I wonder whether the comments on DfT sponsorship for nfc trials might have led to the increases in INN recently.

G.

[millsawm] 16/1/2007 14:30

Britain grapples with main line smart ticketing



article from the Railway Gazette about DfT plans for Oyster, ITSO and Mobile ticketing with mobile phones.

[garth] 16/1/2007 14:04

Millsawm,

Thanks for that. It does look from the reference that these are likely to be ITSO cards. It will take time, but ITSO should gradually snowball and be a secure and growing revenue stream for SMRT for some time. When Oyster reaches full compatibility that process will get a real boost. That should also draw attention to the underlying Multefile technology that Ecebs offer. As stated in their results - there a other projects in development that could see them become an 'underlying technology'.

DYOR.

G.

[millsawm] 16/1/2007 12:49

Artile discussing ...The introduction of smart cards will enable train companies to levy a "congestion charge" for morning and evening peak travel.

The cards, similar to the Oyster cards already used in London, will make it easier to squeeze more out of passengers who use the most popular services.

(the article suggests commuters having smart cards rather than tickets and being charged more for Peak Time use)

it continues....
The move is outlined in a new report which sets out Government proposals for rail services in the South. The proposals will help form the DfT's White Paper on the future of the railways to be published this summer.

So if Oyster is now to be ITSO compliant, then this will mean lots of new ISAMs in a few years.

[awilson] 12/1/2007 21:51

I have moaned before about SMRT'S poor PR - see post 332. I now call it bad.
The annual meeting is on Weds 28th February at 9.30am at East Kilbride. This immediately bars any shareholders outside the local area from attending unless incurring substantial expense despite it saying on the bit about corporate governance in the annual report that it "attaches high importance to communications with current and potential future shareholders."
The AGM is usually seen by most progressive companies as the best forum for informal discussions.

The overall tone is upbeat while indicating that some tenders can take 18 months to mature.

The directors control 102m shares or about 42.5% of the outstanding 240m shares while the Thompson family has 21% or 50m shares. That leaves a "free float" of 88m shares or 37% or so.

Whether this situation is good or bad is a matter of opinion - these is little scope for any significant institutional buying.

[spud] 11/1/2007 16:30

Suits me - Plenty more time to accumulate at these levels.

spud

[garth] 11/1/2007 10:32

Plenty up - just not these!

G.

[spud] 11/1/2007 10:23

Summats up... :o)

spud

[igoe104] 10/1/2007 13:52

worth a read.



And one for you scottish boys.

[garth] 10/1/2007 02:18

Archa,

you didn't miss anything - that's the point! ;0)

Boadicea,

Ahhh, kind November :0)

G.

[boadicea] 09/1/2007 22:00

Also lurking and read it. However, I had done my buying at 2.7p when it dipped in early November.

[archa] 09/1/2007 16:17

Garth, not so for I also read the article. So what did I miss?

Arch

[garth] 09/1/2007 12:39

AW,

Thought I'd take the opportunity as one was provided. Only thing is that you me and the fella who bought 30K this morning are the only ones who've read the article ;0)

G.

[awilson] 09/1/2007 08:15

Thanks Garth.
SMRT has had reasonable coverage but both are just rewrites of the press release. As you say on the Scotsman website, it would have been useful if Braddock had expanded on the official statement.

[archa] 08/1/2007 17:35

I appreciate that the present results give no specific clues as to the likelihood of the earnings targets (operating profits) for 2007 and 2008. However, David Braddock's statement could be interpreted that the 2007 target may well be achievable. If this were to be the outturn, then at (say) £675K the earnings per share would be 0.313p. At 4.25p the PE ratio would be 13.6; at 5p it rises to 16.0 and at 6p. it would still be under 20 (19.2). If during 2008 the capital is raised to (say) 235m shares, the PEs for share price levels of 4.25, 5 and 6p would still only be 14.8, 17.4 and 20.9 respectively, in my view, undemanding levels for a profitable investment in the smartcard sector.

Arch

[bonty] 08/1/2007 17:15

Nothing wrong with the results re Multifile etc, but don't understand why there was no mention of ECEBS or ITSO.

[awilson] 08/1/2007 17:00

It wil be interesting to see if SMRT gets any meaningful coverage in either the Herald or Scotsman tomorrow morning. The Herald used to make a big thing about its attention to Scottish business. If nothing appears, then the company will be partly to blame and is obviously doing us a dis-service with poor PR.

[garth] 08/1/2007 14:10

So, operating profit up 92% and the shares are down.... some profit taking to be expected I guess.

G.

[garth] 08/1/2007 10:49

WJ,

Well done - a profit is a profit is a profit. I feel the same about lack of detail - it would be nice to have seen them paint a picture from their own perspective. But I guess they have their reasons - and they have said previously that they are quite happy just getting on with things for the moment without too much shouting and attention being paid to them....

You are right re IGP - they are a little way behing them in terms of international presence but I believe the indicators are there that there is the potential for some rapid growth a couple of years out.

Sorry not to see them hold the early gain. I will be interested to see what press they pick up and what the broker comes up with for 2009 and what revisions we see for 2008.

G.

[m5artin] 08/1/2007 08:40

Nice statement, I suppose SMRT will get mentioned in Shares mag later, they seem to like this sought of thing.