Device enables commuters to donate to charity with their spare subway credit

A UK designer has created Common Pence, a system that can take leftover change off London's Oyster travel pass and give it to charity.

Topping up credit — whether it's for a mobile phone, travel pass or pre-paid credit card — inevitably leads to small amounts of change left at the end, which often simply goes to waste (or in the company's pocket). However, we have previously seen Singapore mobile carrier StarHub launch its #4Good scheme, which lets customers donate their excess data to good causes that can use it. Now a UK designer has created Common Pence, a system that can take leftover change off London's Oyster travel pass and give it to charity.

Developed by Zander Whitehurst, the project has created a panel that can be tapped with an Oyster card, contactless bank card or NFC-enabled smartphone in order to take a small payment. Tap it once and GBP 0.50 is taken from the account, while holding a travel card against the panel will drain it of all the leftover credit. The funds are then delivered to a charity — at the moment decided by Common Pence and rotated each month. The panels are wireless and can either by hung on a wall in a subway or other public location, or carried around by charity workers.

Watch the video below to see the device in action:

Common Pence enables commuters to put their excess subway credit to good use by sending it to charity rather than transport companies. Are there other ways to make it easier for consumers to give their leftover change to good causes?