RDG’s ‘Smart Week’ encourages new ticket take up
A new campaign co-ordinated by the Rail Delivery Group aims to encourage the take-up of smart tickets.
RDG research suggests that while 50% of journeys are still made with paper tickets, that is down from 63% last year.
Its figures also show that 65 million journeys were made using smart tickets in 2018-19, 18.4 million more than the previous year. It says every train operator now provides a smart ticket option, and that passengers can use them on 90% of routes on the national network.
Smart Week ran from October 14-10 (as this issue of RAIL went to press). Among the dozens of events taking place around the country was an initiative by Greater Anglia to promote the benefits of digital ticketing. It says 75% of its season ticket holders use smartcards rather than paper tickets, and that it hopes to encourage passengers using Advance, single or day return tickets to buy those digitally.
Govia Thameslink Railway chose ‘Smart Week’ to announce that its Key Smartcard will shortly extend to 26 other stations and over other operators’ routes, including Cambridge-Kings Lynn, DartfordRainham, Swanley-Sevenoaks and Tonbridge on the Redhill-Tonbridge line. It says further routes will be added in the coming months.
RDG Director of Nations and Regions Robert Nisbet said: “Smart tickets open up the possibility of a host of new types of fares, such as part-time season tickets or tap-intap-out that works across buses, trams and trains.
“Making the most of the possibilities offered by smart tickets requires root and branch reform of fares regulations, and we want to work with government to make it happen.”
Transport Focus Chief Executive Anthony Smith added: “We know that passengers like the convenience of mobile tickets and smartcards, but train operators must help make the switch from traditional paper tickets easy and simple to understand.
“As the number of people working part-time rises, Britain’s fares and ticketing system must adapt to suit the way we travel now - smart tickets can help meet the needs of today’s passengers.”