A proposed travel card for the north of England, based on the model for London’s Oyster system, could save commuters up to £276 a year, according to thinktank data.
Advocates and researchers say that the scheme could generate up to £2.7 billion over five years by making travel between towns and cities in the north of England easier.
On the new card, users would tap in and out across different transport networks, with their fares automatically capped at the cheapest available rate.
The proposal would link together transport systems across northern England - including Greater Manchester’s Bee Network, West Yorkshire’s planned Weaver Network and South Yorkshire’s People’s Network - allowing passengers to move between regions without buying separate tickets.
The scheme is backed by the Good Growth Foundation thinktank and the Labour MP Luke Charters.
Although city regions across the north of England have invested heavily in improving local transport, supporters for the new travel card argue that travelling between those networks can involve navigating different ticketing systems, fare structures and operators, whereas the proposed card would create a single payment system across multiple modes of transport. Passengers would be able to use a bank card, phone or travel card, with software automatically calculating the cheapest fare and applying any relevant daily or weekly caps. There would also be concessions applied for groups across the network such as students, older people and disabled passengers.
The proposal comes as mayors across the north continue to pursue greater control over local transport networks, after the rollout of Greater Manchester’s Bee Network.
No formal plans for introducing the travel card scheme have been announced, however campaigners argue that ongoing transport changes across the north have set up the perfect opportunity to develop a single ticketing system spanning multiple networks.