Young people have made more than 1.2 million Tyne and Wear Metro journeys with a smartcard that gives them trips for £1.
Pop blue was introduced by Nexus in 2018 to make Metro travel more affordable for young people aged 16-18.
Over 16,000 young people have taken out Pop blue cards since the ticket was launched and currently almost 30,000 Pop blue journeys take place every month, with 85% of 16–18-year-olds using a Pop blue card when they travel on Metro.
Customer Services Director at Nexus, Huw Lewis, said: “We’re delighted with how successful Pop blue has been. We estimate it has generated about 1 million additional Metro journeys since it was introduced, due to its ease of use and flexibility, and we’re keen to encourage more teenagers onto Metro as our lives return to some normality.
“Pop blue lets young people travel on Metro for £1 and as much as they want all day for £2. It’s easy to use, customers don’t have to commit to any regular travel, it’s contactless and better value than using ticket machines.
“Pop Blue is part of our family of great value smart cards and discounts for young people on Metro up to the age of 21. You can find the right card for you or your children and start saving right away – and don’t forget that children aged 11 and under travel free with a fare paying adult all day, every day.”
Anyone aged 18 and under will only pay £1 for a single trip when they have a Pop blue card, which can easily be topped up online and at Metro ticket machines.
Young people using a Pop blue card will only ever pay for a maximum of two Metro trips on any single day. A £2 daily price cap will apply to Metro travel, regardless of how many trips they take.
Information on Pop blue cards is here. The card itself is free but must be purchased with a £10 balance on the card.
For those under age 16, a smartcard called Junior blue is available. It can also be bought and topped up online, meaning customers don’t need to think about carrying cash or using ticket machines. Using a Junior blue card, child fares are 90p for a single trip or £1.40 for travel all day.
Junior blue launched in September 2020, with over 100 under 16s a month using Junior Blue, making the most of the simple, contactless way to pay.