West Yorkshire Railway Passengers May Be Location Tracked

The location of train passengers could be monitored in Yorkshire as part of a contactless ticketing trial, as announced by the Department for Transport (DfT). This initiative will utilize GPS technology to track the positions of passengers who have installed a specific smartphone app.

According to the DfT, the app will generate a barcode that can be scanned by ticket inspectors and at station barriers. This system aims to help passengers save time and ensure they receive “the best value ticket on the day.”

Current pay-as-you-go ticketing methods allow passengers to use contactless credit, debit, or travel cards to check in and out at card readers.

Rail minister Lord Hendy commented, “We’ve observed the success of contactless ticketing in simplifying journeys and attracting more people to our railways. It is only fair that we expand contactless ticketing to other major cities in the North, enabling them to benefit economically from simpler ticketing and enhancing the passenger experience.”

Jacqueline Starr, chief executive of the Rail Delivery Group, stated, “This is another advancement in making fares and ticketing more accessible for everyone. We are dedicated to creating a simpler fare system that not only meets passengers’ needs but also fosters the long-term growth of rail travel, improving customers’ experiences on the railway.”

The Government has initiated the procurement process to identify suppliers who will operate the system on specific Northern and East Midlands Railway services.

Alex Hornby, commercial and customer director at Northern, remarked, “Traditionally, ticketing in the rail industry has been overly complex, so any efforts to simplify the customer experience are welcome. We have already witnessed a significant shift from physical tickets to digital options, which now account for over 80% of journeys on our network. The pay-as-you-go option is a continuation of that trend that we are eager to introduce on selected routes soon.”

The DfT has not yet announced a launch date for the system. Contactless ticketing has been in use on London’s public transport network since 2003. The DfT mentioned that it is collaborating with Greater Manchester and the West Midlands to further develop their plans for expanding contactless ticketing.