DfT to extend pay-as-you-go across the South East

The Government has announced tap-in tap-out devices at a further 53 stations in the South East. 

The Department for Transport has also allocated an initial £20 million to extend the facility to 200 locations, and is working with the Great British Railways Transition Team to agree pay-as-you-go pilots in Greater Manchester and the West Midlands by the end of the year. 

The intention is for customers to no longer have to worry about planning ahead to get the best prices. Instead, they can use their bank card or smart device to tap in on readers, and automatically be guaranteed the best price available on the day of travelling. 

PAYG is already available at more than 350 stations across London and the south of England. The latest announcement, made on July 4, increases this total. It is in partnership with Transport for London, c2c, Southeastern, South Western Railway, London Northwestern Railway, and Chiltern Railways. 

Secretary of State for Transport Mark Harper said he is committed to reforming and overhauling the national fares and ticketing structure, citing LNER’s extended single-leg pricing across all its services as an example of progress. 

TfL claimed that data shows more than 75% of all Tube and rail PAYG journeys are now regularly made using contactless payment cards or mobile devices, compared with 25% in 2016. 

Rail Delivery Group Chief Executive Jacqueline Starr said: “We have long called for fares to be made easier and more flexible for our customers. Our extensive fare consultation with Transport Focus in 2019 overwhelmingly demonstrated the need for modernisation. Pay-as-you-go payments are a significant step in the right direction.” 

To read all our magazine articles, choose from either a Digital Edition Membership from just 99p for your first month, or a Print & Digital Edition package from just £9.50 per month. Choose your Membership here