Nexus, which owns, manages and is modernising Metro, welcomed the Transport Secretary Philip Hammond to the region to showcase its plans to develop smart ticketing technology for public transport.
The Minister travelled on Metro from Central Station in Newcastle to Simonside in South Tyneside, where he was able to see how the new smartcard technology will work as it is rolled out over the next 12 months.
Mr Hammond was given a demonstration of how the new smart card readers will work when they are installed at Metro and bus stations across Tyne and Wear.
The system would charge a fare from a passenger's smart card as he or she boarded bus, Metro or train, and allow them to take advantage of any network travel arrangements that exist. It would also make it easier for people to purchase travel through the internet.
Metro is to get all-new ticket machines over the next 12 months in a £15 million modernisation programme and these will be designed to incorporate smart technology.
Mr Hammond was also provided with an update on the £385m Metro: all change programme, which will see the system modernised over the next 11 years. The Coalition Government affirmed its commitment to the programme in the October spending review.
The Minister was shown Simonside Metro station as it was a chance to see the most recent of Metro Stations to be built, which is a good example of how other “halt” stations on the system could look as part of the modernisation work.
Nexus Director of Rail and Infrastructure, Ken Mackay, said: “I was pleased to show the Minister the excellent progress we have made with implementing smartcard technology on public transport.
“This sort of ticketing will make people’s journeys much easier because everything will be accessed by simply swiping one single travel card to gain access to local Metro and bus services.
“We are pressing ahead with this scheme because we have seen smart ticketing used very effectively across Europe and we believe the people of Tyne and Wear deserve to have this benefit as well.”