Nottingham extends capped ticketing across multiple operators

Nottingham has launched a multi-operator contactless transport ticketing system in what is claimed to be the first of its kind outside of London.

The Nottingham multi-operator Tap & Go option is now available across Nottingham City Transport buses, NET trams and Linkbuses operated by CT4N. It allows people to tap on with a contactless bank card or phone throughout the day and pay one daily charge, capped at £5.60, regardless of which of the three operators they use or however many journeys they make on the day.

The initiative is an extension of the original Nottingham Contactless scheme which offered similar functionality but only across the city’ buses. The new multi-operator capping is designed to “encourage people to travel more easily and flexibly without worrying how much they will be charged or deciding what ticket they need in advance.”

The City Council successfully bid for £2.7m from the Department for Transport’s National Productivity Fund and Transforming Cities Programme to develop the technology, which is supplied by German technology company INIT, a global player in public transport technology, whose UK base is in Nottingham. 

The City Council is now working with the DfT and regional partners including Transport for the West Midlands and Midlands Connect to integrate all operators including trentbarton and train operating companies.

The City Council’s Portfolio Holder for Local Transport, Councillor Rosemary Healy, said, “We have been working towards a multi-operator contactless and capped payment option for a number of years, to make using our wonderful public transport network as simple and stress-free as possible. It’s something we may have experienced in other great cities and I’m really pleased we are now offering it to people visiting, living and working in Nottingham.”

Jens Mullak, managing director of INIT, added, “We are thrilled to deliver this exciting ticketing solution, which makes public transport more attractive – particularly important as our sector tries to attract people back to our trams and buses. From our dedicated Nottingham office in the Lace Market, INIT continues to deliver simple fare solutions that Nottingham’s passengers expect and deserve, and which has been propelled, in part, by their wish to pay using contactless during the pandemic.”