Bus operators across Scotland have outlined their
commitment to deliver multi-operator smart ticketing for millions of
Scottish bus customers, paving the way for seamless travel between bus,
rail, ferry and subway.
The pledge by the country’s major bus companies – First, Stagecoach,
Lothian Buses, McGill’s and XPlore Dundee – will deliver smart ticketing
on buses across the country during 2016-17.
The operators involved also confirmed that the project is expected to
extend to rail, ferries and the subway in the near future. Technical
work on the scheme has already begun, building upon existing smart
platforms already used by operators which conform to the UK-wide
Government ITSO standard.
Successful delivery of the first phase of the project will see smart
ticketing made available to around three quarters of the Scottish
population over the course of 2017. This will be done through the launch
of interoperable, bus-to-bus, smart ticketing across Scotland's largest
cities (Aberdeen, Dundee, Glasgow and Edinburgh) and the surrounding
areas, with delivery of these schemes already under way.
Once in place, customers will be able to store multi-operator tickets
electronically on a smartcard rather than using paper tickets and will
be able to travel on different buses using one smartcard.
As well as these city schemes, Scotland’s major bus operators will
also support the introduction of a single standard e-purse, a
Scotland-wide saltirecard scheme that will be developed and delivered by
Transport Scotland, and which will enable customers to top up their
smartcards with funds – similar to the way an Oyster card works in
London.
NOW SEE THE LATEST ON THE FOCUS FEATURES SITE:
After a break of quite some time there is a new item on the Features site, in respect of the Pacer trains that have proved their worth long past their original date of withdrawal.
With text from a BBC report and images provided by the Focus transport team, this can now be viewed by clicking here