[gynn]

So what you are saying is that the Council is introducing letters with bar codes that "get more and more tatty until they no longer scan" to replace payment cards that "get more and more tatty until they no longer scan".

Presumably the payment card system carries a cost that has to be borne by everyone, so it sounds reasonable to get rid of it if there is an adequate system to replace it.

Which it seems there IS ie letters with bar codes.