RICHARD MALINS reports from the annual Transport Ticketing Global conference
After many years, it appears the spread of smart ticketing may at last be accelerating. Transport for the North has received £150 million for its smart travel programme, and now the Department for Transport has launched a consultation on extending Pay As You Go (PAYG) ticketing more widely across the South East of England.
The Transport Ticketing Global event at the end of January provided a forum to discuss such issues in detail. Past events have included predictions about the demise of tangerine tickets with promises of a multi-modal future, and this year was no exception. There was perhaps a little more realism and a recognition that for rail passengers 2018 had been a difficult year, but at the same time great faith in the Williams Review delivering something to improve the passenger experience on the fares and ticketing front.
The much-heralded promise of fares simplification also loomed large. Problems to address included flexibility to meet the needs of part-time workers, and the resolution of fares anomalies that people feel are unjust. However, the Department for Transport admitted that there are fares regulation iss…
