The UK government’s plan to equip 700 rail stations over the next three years to accept contactless open-loop payments is a major initiative, as it seeks to replicate the success of London’s contactless pay-as-you go fare payments system elsewhere in the country–a goal that has proved elusive in the past.
The UK Department for Transport announced late last week that it plans to spend £360 million (US$482 million) on the rollout, which among other things, would install contactless EMV readers at hundreds of Network Rail stations, mainly in the North of England and the Midlands. The readers would accept bank cards and open-loop credentials on NFC devices. The aim is to help “level up” these areas with a London-style contactless PAYG system. The regions that would get the new system include such major cities as Manchester, Liverpool and Birmingham.
Around 400 of the 700 stations designated to get contactless payments are in the North. Improving payments and ticketing in this region and the Midlands is only part of the government’s plan to “overhaul” the rail network. The move to contactless will be part of other changes in an Integrated Rail Plan, which will be published soon.
