Photo: Transport Ticketing Global

London’s transport ticketing chief calls for contactless expansion

23 March 2023

by Christopher Carey

Transport for London’s Head of Customer Payments, Andrew Anderson, says the UK needs to simplify transport ticketing, including expanding contactless payments. 

Speaking to Cities Today on the sidelines of the recent Transport Ticketing Global event in London, Anderson said the switch would “ensure simplicity for customers”.

“By simplifying the national fares system, you could drive innovation, such as expanding contactless, more easily across a wider area.

“Nationally, this would allow more customers to benefit from the convenience of paying for travel we have in London, which would also lead to more journeys being made by public transport by removing one of the barriers to usage.

“In terms of London, this would tackle the main driver for the use of legacy ticketing technologies, allowing us to simplify our own system and improve our efficiency.”

Contactless payment on the TfL network has soared since its introduction in 2013, rising from one percent of fare payments in its first year to 55 percent today.

Use of paper tickets across the network has in turn dropped and now accounts for approximately one percent of all fare payments.

Many rail passengers who travel in and out of Greater London from commuter towns outside of the TfL network still use railcards or buy paper tickets for their entire journey, creating problems for ticketing integration.

Erasing paper

During a presentation on the future of ticketing, Anderson said TfL is in the process of phasing out its paper tickets, which is expected to be completed by 2024.

The transit operator will instead look to boost the integration of barcode “e-tickets”, such as those that are sold by the UK’s National Rail, into its system.

In trying to move people towards digitised payment, the operator charges higher prices for paper tickets.

But this rapid shift towards digitalisation can have an impact on certain demographics like the elderly and the unbanked.

When asked if the continued push towards digitalisation has the potential to unfairly exclude certain people, Anderson said: “Fewer than one percent of Tube journeys are now made with cash, and elderly and disabled Londoners are eligible for a Freedom Pass which gives them free travel on the Tube and bus after 9am on weekdays and all day at weekends and Bank Holidays.

“We also operate a concession scheme funded by us giving a similar concession to those aged 60 or over who reside in London.

“The single paper ticket fare has been set at the higher level for many years to help encourage more people towards pay as you go with contactless and Oyster, which is more convenient and offers additional benefits to customers such as daily and weekly capping.

“Those who do not have access to a bank account can also purchase an Oyster card and benefit from pay as you go.”

Image: Transport Ticketing Global 

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