Paperless ticket initiative for buses receives £20 million

Date: 16/12/2009

A total of £20 million has been earmarked for a new scheme which will see passengers on public transport able to travel without a paper ticket.

Announced by transport secretary Lord Adonis, the smart ticket system will allow passengers to store a ticket on a microchip on a smart card - such as an Oyster card - a phone, or bankcard.

Is it thought the initiative will make using public buses easier and therefore attract as many as a quarter of passengers to public transport who do not use it at present.

To encourage bus operators to install the necessary technology, Lord Adonis revealed there is to be an eight per cent increase in the Bus Service Operator Grant for those that offer the smart ticket system.

According to government estimates, the new system could help operators save around £1 billion a year.

Lord Adonis commented on the plans: "Getting this technology on-board will help reduce congestion and pollution, improve the local environment, and help us, operators and local authorities provide the 21st century public transport network that we know people want."

Meanwhile, Hucknall town centre is to receive transport improvements worth £12 million, including the development of a new relief road to take vehicles away from the high street, enabling part of it to be pedestrianised.