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A new ticketless train travel system that relies on tracking passengers’ locations is currently undergoing a trial in the East Midlands. East Midlands Railway (EMR) will be testing this location-based technology starting Monday, with around 1,000 passengers traveling through Derby, Leicester, Nottingham, and the stations in between. The innovative app is designed to automatically charge these passengers the most cost-effective fare at the end of the day.
Following the initial trial in the East Midlands, further testing involving 1,000 passengers will be conducted on three services operated by Northern in Yorkshire starting from the end of September. This initiative, known as Digital Pay As You Go, utilizes GPS tracking on users’ mobile phones to determine and charge them the most favorable fare for their journeys, which includes services like CrossCountry in addition to EMR. The app also generates a barcode for ticket inspections and to navigate through barriers at the stations.
Oli Cox, EMR’s head of commercial strategy and business planning, mentioned that over 500 people have already registered for the trial. EMR aims to simplify the fare system, which can often be confusing for passengers, by offering a straightforward tap-in and tap-out solution via the app. Meanwhile, the trials on Northern services connecting Harrogate, Leeds, Sheffield, Doncaster, and Barnsley are set to commence by the end of the month. Both the EMR and Northern trials are supported by £1 million in government funding as part of the Plan for Change.
Rail minister Lord Peter Hendy expressed optimism that ticketless travel experimentation will lead to time and cost savings for passengers. He emphasized the necessity for upgrading the railway ticketing system to modern standards, citing its complexity and the long-overdue need for a 21st-century transformation
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