Transport for London (TfL) has today confirmed that trams in
London will go ‘cashless’ on 16 July 2018, following public and
stakeholder engagement about the plans last year.
More than 800 people from across the communities served by the
tram network commented on TfL’s plans to remove existing ticket
machines. These machines only sell a small number of the more
expensive paper tickets every week and do not allow customers
to top up their Oyster cards. The plans follow the successful
introduction of cashless buses across London in July 2014 and
all comments or suggestions received as part of the public
engagement were considered and where appropriate taken on board
as part of this wider decision.
The ticket machines were installed when the tram system opened
in 2000 and now have such low usage that it is no longer cost
effective to maintain them or have them replaced. Due to the
convenience and value for money of pay as you go using Oyster
and contactless payment, only 0.3 per cent of single tram
journeys - fewer than 250 single tickets per day - were made
using a ticket bought from a tram ticket machine last year.
Since the plans were first announced last year, this number has
now fallen further to just 66 single tickets a day. This low
number now means providing and maintaining ticket machines at
every stop is not covered by ticket sales and TfL believes that
this cost could therefore be better spent on initiatives to
improve the tram network for customers.
A paper ticket bought from a ticket machine costs £2.60 whereas
the equivalent pay as you go single fare with Oyster or
contactless just is £1.50. The Mayor’s Hopper fare means pay as
you go customers get unlimited tram and bus journeys for £1.50
within one hour of touching in on the first tram or bus
journey. Any customers who still buy paper tickets will need to
switch to Oyster or contactless payment. Topping up an Oyster
cards is quick and easy at any Oyster Ticket Stop, online at
oyster.tfl.gov.uk or via the TfL app or at a station ticket
machine.
TfL has now begun the formal process to allow for the machines
to be removed. A comprehensive marketing campaign will be
launched across the Tram network in the coming weeks to ensure
customers are aware of the changes before they are introduced
in July. Following comments made during the public engagement,
TfL will also be making a number of improvements to tram stops
across the network in the coming months, including:
- More signage at tram stops to advise passengers on ways to
pay, including how to download the TfL app and where to find
their nearest Oyster Ticket Stop.
- Travel Ambassadors located at selected tram stops across
the network when the changes are introduced to help ensure
passengers are aware of the changes and the alternative ways of
paying.
- Additional validators installed at selected tram stops
across the network to make it more convenient and quicker for
passengers to touch in.
- New customer information displays at selected tram stops to
help customers plan their journey and see where the tram
interchanges with London Underground, London Overground and
other National Rail services.
Mark Davis, General Manager of London Trams,
said: “The vast majority of tram customers
already use pay as you go with Oyster or contactless to travel,
which is both cheaper than paper tickets and allows customers
to use the Mayor’s Hopper fare to make unlimited bus or tram
journeys within an hour for £1.50. As very few ticket sales are
made using ticket machines, we will be removing the existing
cash ticket machines and encouraging customers to switch to pay
as you go, Travelcards or Bus & Tram Passes, all of which
can quickly be bought from their local Oyster Ticket Stop,
online or via the TfL app.”
