Transport chiefs have given conflicting responses to requests to bring Oyster payments to a station.

MP for Hertsmere Oliver Dowden is continuing his campaign to get the scheme to Radlett after promises that it will be installed by September 2015.

Thameslink’s chief executive assured Mr Dowden of the company’s “commitment” to developing an acceptable proposal, and the firm has a business case for extending it – but a letter from the firm’s customer relations department says it has no plans to do so.

In October 2015, Mr Dowden sent a letter of complaint to the Department of Transport (DfT) regarding the extension of the scheme from Radlett to Luton Airport Parkway.

Despite efforts to bring Oyster to Radlett, transport minister Claire Perry in her reply said the complexity of the scheme had resulted in a “delay to the obligation’s delivery” ,which DfT is “monitoring closely”.

In December 2015, Charles Horton, the chief executive of Thameslink, also wrote a reply to Mr Dowden’s letter.

Mr Horton said Thameslink is in a different position as it does not retain passenger revenue, passing it instead to the DfT. This means that Thameslink has to have DfT’s agreement to any decisions regarding passenger revenue.

In London, Oyster fares are based on a zonal fare structure, with customers paying different amounts depending on the number of zones they travel through.

Thameslink’s aim was to extend Oyster by the end of September 2015 and at Mr Dowden’s meeting with the firm in January, representatives said it was very much a DfT issue.

This is because Oyster is a DfT product and any shortfall in revenue from fares would be covered by the department.

Mr Horton said: “As noted it will be for the DfT to approve such an extension but I assure you of our commitment to continue to work to develop an acceptable proposal.”

According to another letter sent from Mr Horton in December 2015, Thameslink has developed a business case for the extensions, which has been submitted to the DfT for consideration.

He said: “We engaged in numerous discussions with DfT and TfL regarding the technological requirements and supporting fare structure charges.”

However, in January 2016 Mr Dowden received another letter from Calum Wadge at Thameslink’s customer relations headquarters.

In his letter, Mr Wadge said: “I can advise that there are currently no plans to extend the Oyster area to Radlett although we can’t rule this out in the future.”