Smart ticketing forum launched to develop national tap and cap fare system

Sub-national transport body Midlands Connect, along with the Transport for West Midlands (TfWM), bus operators’ group Project Coral and the Department for Transport are working together on a ticketing solution which will make multi-modal travel cheaper and easier for individuals using their smart phone or contactless bank card, capping payments at a daily or weekly limit.

Chaired by Midlands Connect, the Integrated Ticketing Advisory Forum (ITAF) will provide an opportunity for Midlands local transport authorities to share the work they are doing to make a single multi-operator smart ticketing solution possible. Although developed in the Midlands, ITAF’s findings will be offered as a national solution through the other six STBs which cover the whole of England outside of London.

ITAF’s focus will be on bus and tram travel and how to make it easier to pay for journeys when using a number of different operators.

Matt Lewis, technical director at TfWM, said, “Simplifying payment for bus travel is an important part of encouraging more people to use bus services.

“This national project will see the introduction of a ‘tap and go’ solution for customers using their bank card on regional bus services where, irrespective of which bus operators they use, they will get best value fare. This will finally allow us to bring the benefits to our bus passengers, which public transport users in London have enjoyed for more than a decade.

“The creation of the ITAF will ensure that local transport authorities are aligned in their thinking as we work in partnership with bus operators as we jointly deliver this exciting project.”

Bharat Pathania, head of new technologies at Midlands Connect, added, “The extra flexibility and ease of smart ticketing will help attract more people to public transport and create a more efficient and modern offer. This forum is an exciting opportunity for us to work collaboratively with transport authorities. Transport users are long overdue a simplified tap-and-cap solution and this will really streamline the work we’re doing.