Passengers on the Tyne and Wear Metro were today treated to a rainbow coloured revolutionary display, as the countdown to the transport revolution begins with the roll out of the new Metro Pop card to all MetroSaver customers.
A group of Pop revolutionaries, complete with placards and props, came together to demonstrate an exciting new era of smartcard s which will make it easier and more convenient for passengers to use public transport around the region.
In the coming months, all MetroSaver customers will need a Pop card to travel on the Metro as the new gates and ‘smart’ validators are switched on at key stations around the network. The Pop cards are free to apply for and all annual and four-weekly customers will have their MetroSaver tickets stored on the cards going forward and can purchase these online, making it easy to pay for public transport using a simple plastic card that can be read by machines at stations and on Metro trains. Annual MetroSaver holders will receive an email from Nexus when they need to apply for their Pop card.
Nexus has already issued over 15,000 Pop cards, with the portal to apply online at Nexus website now up and running.
Throughout this week, special ‘Pop shops’ will be popping up around the Metro network (see below for details), where four-weekly customers will be able to apply for their Pop card on the spot, as well as getting their photograph taken for free. The new Pop cards will then be sent out to them in the post.
Sharon Kelly, Director of Customer Services and Operations, at DB Regio Tyne and Wear, who operate the Metro on behalf of Nexus, said: “It’s an exciting time for transport in the North East as the Pop card revolutionises the way people travel on the Metro. Our revolutionaries came together today to signal the start of the countdown till the new gates and validators are switched on around the system. It’s really important that four-weekly MetroSaver customers now apply for their Pop card, so they have this ready for the go live date in the coming months.”
In the biggest smartcard roll out outside of London, Nexus, which owns, manages and is modernising Metro, is investing £15m in smart ticketing technology for Metro, which includes the replacement of 225 ticket machines and the introduction of the gates at key stations and validators across the system.
Head of Service Delivery from Nexus, Andy Bairstow, said: “Smartcards are set to transform the way in which people use public transport around the North East and we are especially keen to raise awareness of the benefits of having a Pop card with our customers.
“When the Metro ticket gates and validators are switched on in the coming months, MetroSaver customers will need their Pop card to travel on the system and the same card can then be read by machines found at stations and on vehicles. The convenience of being able to buy and renew tickets both online and via the ticket machines, as well as viewing journey statements online, will make travel much easier in the future.”
The new Metro ticket gates will have a phased introduction during 2013 so that Metro's 38 million passengers have a smooth transition to the new way of travelling.