Transport bosses to meet over cards plan

TRANSPORT BOSSES will decide next month on a way forward for the troubled scheme to introduce London-style pay-as-you-go smart travel across the North.

Transport for the North is understood to be struggling to find a way forward for its project allowing passengers to use contactless bank cards to travel on buses, trams, trains and ferries on the same journey with a fixed maximum price.

Larger bus companies such as First and Arriva have refused to sign up because they are already working on their own contactless ticketing schemes and believe TfN’s back office processing system, known as ABBOT, will cost more.

The stand-off has prompted the director of the influential Northern Powerhouse Partnership to call for the introduction of bus franchising – where routes and fares are decided by local authorities – “if the unregulated bus companies won’t play ball with pay-as-you-go”.

The matter will be on the agenda at the next meeting of TfN’s board to be held in Leeds on January 8, but will not be discussed in the section of the meeting to be held in public.

TfN declined to comment on what options are to be discussed or the current status of the project but promised to provide further information after the meeting.

The strategic transport authority says finding a solution is “extremely complex” but it wanted to see real changes in the experience for passengers on public transport across the North”.

Unlike in London, which is a regulated market, bus companies cannot currently be compelled to take part.