Since August Merseyrail passengers have been able to ‘tap and go’ using MetroCards – now the next phase allowing passengers to use their bank cards and mobile devices is about to begin. Tony McDonough reports
Passengers on Merseyrail are about to see the next phase of the ‘tap and go’ system rolled out with bank cards and mobile devices.
Since August, passengers have been able to tap and go using MetroCards issued by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (CA). People have had to buy a card for £1 and then register their debit card online, allowing people to tap in and out at stations.
Prior to the full MetroCard rollout, the CA asked for volunteers to test the system over a number of weeks. Now it wants to put in motion the same process for people using bank cards and mobile devices via Apple and Google Pay at station barriers.
Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram said: “As someone who uses our trains every day, I know just how much easier tap & go has made life for passengers. It means no more early-morning queues, guaranteed best-value fares, and a smoother journey from start to finish.
“This smart ticketing pilot takes us another step closer to delivering the modern, 21st-century transport network our residents deserve – and I’m really looking forward to seeing the new system fully rolled out in the New Year.”
Merseyrail is now running a pilot of smart tickets, inviting members of the public to be among the first to try this new way of travelling. Anyone who wishes to take part can sign up via a link on the Merseyrail website.
As they did with MetroCard, pilot participants will help test the technology in real-world conditions and play an essential role in shaping the final system. Their feedback will ensure the service is reliable, easy to use, and built around the needs of passengers.
Same as with the MetroCard passengers have to tap in at the beginning and end of their journeys and are automatically charged the lowest fare.
It will take into account several factors – the time of day your journey is made (ie before or during off-peak) and the number of journeys made being some of these.
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The system will automatically check when and how often you have travelled to work out whether a single, return or Day Saver fare is the cheapest. The charge normally goes through the day after your journey.
Any passenger who forgets to tap out at the end of their journey is sent an email asking them to log onto the website and fill in the details of their journey.