Nexus is to work together with bus operators across North East England to develop the region’s first smart ticketing technology for public transport.
The plans would see passengers able to travel anywhere from the Scottish border to the Tees Valley using a single ‘intelligent’ card in place of cash.
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.
Versions of the smart cards would also let passengers take advantage of special offers from individual operators.
A conference at the Stadium of Light in Sunderland on Wednesday, 14th January brings together bus operators Stagecoach, Go North East and Arriva, the Association of North East Councils and Nexus to discuss taking the plans forward.
The conference, Towards a North East Smart Ticketing Infrastructure, will be attended by more than 50 delegates including industry experts from across the UK, regional organisations and local authorities.
More than 200 million local public transport journeys are made in North East England every year.
Tobyn Hughes, Nexus Head of Strategy, said: “Smart card ticketing is used all over Europe to make passengers’ journeys easier. We believe people in North East England deserve something similar.
“Making public transport more attractive is good for the economy, helps combat congestion and benefits the environment by giving people a real choice to the car.
“Smart cards can allow passengers to ‘pay as you go’ just like mobile phones, without worrying about carrying change, they speed up boarding times and let part time workers enjoy discounts for regular travel that otherwise apply only to five-day-a-week commuters.
“By seeking to build a scheme for the whole of North East England we can extend the benefit to the largest area for the investment needed.”
Councillor Mick Henry, Chair of the Association of North East Councils said: "I am delighted to be introducing a conference on such an important issue as smartcards, which already has cross-party support in the region. Both the Association’s Green Manifesto and Corporate Plan make commitments to work with partners to explore the concept of a smartcard for the North East.
"Today we have an opportunity to consider how we might develop such a scheme, which will make transport more accessible and user friendly for our citizens and communities.”
Martin Harris, Commercial Director with Go North East said, “Smart Cards offer a further opportunity to upgrade the bus user’s experience. Modern, simple ticketing can only add to the investments we have already made to make bus services more attractive.”
The 2008 Local Transport Act also gives bodies like Nexus more scope to work in partnership with local bus operators to improve services.
Nexus is now seeking funding to develop technology which would be fitted at Metro stations and on buses right across the region.
Nexus owns, manages and is modernising Metro but is seeking to create a smart card technology that would work on all forms of public transport.
Metro is to get all-new ticket machines over the next two years in a £15 million modernisation programme and these will be designed to incorporate smart technology.
More than 300,000 pensioners and people with disabilities in the region issued were issued with new national concessionary travel cards in 2008 containing smart technology.
But these are not yet used as smart cards in North East England because technology does not exist on public transport to match them. Nexus and some local authorities also provide discounted taxi journeys for people with disabilities using smart cards.
Nexus now hopes for approval from the Passenger Transport Authority at its January 2009 meeting to submit a bid for Government funding for pilot projects.
It will also be seeking the support of transport operators and local authorities across North East England to support the work.
If pilot projects are successful next year then a full scheme could be ready to start in three years time.