Next month, Great Western Railway is to launch a pay-as-you-go smartcard that can be used on rail services operated by GWR, CrossCountry and Transport for Wales within the pay-as-you-go area.
The smartcard will combine payments and tickets in one application and will ensure that holders get the best value for walk-up fares on the day they travel. It will also cap the price of Weekly Season tickets for journeys between two stations over a seven-day week from Monday to Sunday.
Using the smartcard, holders catching a train in the pay-as-you-go travel area will no longer need to buy a ticket before they travel. Instead, holders need only touch in and touch out on yellow smartcard readers at ticket gates or platform validators for each journey they make.
At the end of each day, the holder will be charged the best walk-up fare for journeys they have taken on that day. If any of those journeys were delayed, the train operator will inform them whether they are eligible for compensation.
Smartcards can also be used to store train tickets and season tickets along with pay-as-you-go tickets, with the exception of Flexi season tickets. These cannot be used in combination with pay-as-you-go and customers should obtain a separate smartcard for those.
At the end of each day, GWR will analyse all entry and exit taps made by a holder that day and apply the most appropriate fare for the journeys made. Fares will be based on ticket types available on the day and time of travel. The charge applied to the smartcard will be calculated from the best value walk-up, flexible fares available on GWR.com made up of Standard Class Anytime, Off-Peak and Super-Off-Peak Day Single, and Day Return Fares.
Great Western Railway expects the service to be available at the beginning of September. It is the first step before expanding it to wider schemes in other areas of GWR's network. Future plans could also see bus services and other transport modes added to the smartcard to offer a true multi-modal solution.
Applications for GWR touch smartcards can be made now, and GWR will advise holders when they can start making use of pay-as-you-go travel with GWR.
Further information about the smartcards and answers to some frequently asked questions can be obtained at https://www.gwr.com/your-tickets/choosing-your-ticket/smart-tickets/touch/payg
Metro Mayor Dan Norris said:
“If we are going to reach our really ambitious net-zero-by-2030 target, we need to make it as easy and affordable as possible for West of Englanders to use public transport. This will help us cut congestion, improve road safety and begin to clean up our air too.
“The new pay-as-you-go GWR touch smartcard makes it easier for passengers making local journeys across the West of England Mayoral region, letting people breeze through the ticket barriers rather than having to queue in the station for a printed ticket. And with money tight it's good to know you'll always be charged the best value walk-up, flexible fare.
“This is an important first step and I look forward to working with GWR on further future improvements to make it easier to top up, to integrate with other types of public transport, and one day to be able to use debit cards to tap in.”
GWR Head of Retail Lee Edworthy said:
“We're delighted to be able to introduce this innovative new product, making it easier for people to take advantage of using the train in the Bristol area.
“We're really excited about the impending customer launch of the scheme and the future opportunities it provides in other areas and incorporating other modes of transport.”
Councillor Don Alexander, Bristol City Council's Cabinet Member for Transport, said:
“I am really pleased the GWR touch smartcard is launching and enjoyed finding out more about how it works.
“Smart ticketing plays an important role in making public transport more user friendly. This new pay-as-you-go card will help our residents access their local rail services and make sure they are getting the best available fares.
“We are continuing to work in partnership on rail improvements as part of the MetroWest programme and are looking forward to launching a series of new railway stations in the future to help connect Bristol communities to sustainable public transport.”
Severnside's Heather Cullimore added:
“Severnside Community Rail Partnership welcomes the introduction of the new pay-as-you-go GWR touch smart card on routes radiating from Bristol. Finding best value rail fares is sometimes confusing for passengers, so a tap in and out system which does this automatically and accounts for railcard discounts is a great step forward.”
“We need to make it as easy and affordable as possible for West of Englanders to use public transport.”
Public transport is not just rail Mr Mayor! A smart card should cover bus and train as it does in London and most of continental Europe.