Liverpool City Region Combined Authority has announced plans for a digital upgrade of its ticketing for public transport.
It said it plans to invest £9.86 million in the development of a tap-and-go system, contactless payments and fare capping, and the people will be able to use the same cards or ticket on buses, trains and ferries.
It is also pushing forward the development of a mobile app for buying and using tickets, the ability to pay by bank card or mobile payment through services such as Apple Pay and Google Wallet, and to make an increased range of products available through the MetroSmart Portal.
The plans are aimed at improving the experience and encouraging more people to use public transport in the city-region, there by reducing pollution from car usage.
Easier and quicker
Mayor Steve Rotheram said: “By upgrading our current paper ticketing with a new and improved smart system, we can make it easier and quicker for people to get from A to B. The tap-and-go, contactless ticketing system I want to introduce will unlock so many benefits for our region, removing the need for unnecessary queues, and ensure that no one spends more than they need to get around our region.
“London shows how it can work well – and I want to build a similar system in our area that makes ticketing easier, quicker and cheaper and, most importantly, works in favour of passengers, not profit.”
More than 750,000 MetroCards and concession smart card tickets are currently in use across the Liverpool City Region. The MetroSmart portal accounts for 25% of all ticket sales, demonstrating the demand for digital ticketing options.
