'Oyster card' plan for Wales transport planned

8:30pm Wednesday 15th July 2009 in News By South Wales Argus Newsdesk

DEPUTY first minister Ieuan Wyn Jones gave a boost to public transport across Wales today with the announcement of a through ticketing scheme for the country.

A transport entitlement card, similar to London's Oyster card, was included in the national transport plan unvelied today.

Passengers will be able to use it on busses and trains by 2014.

People will also get more information on what alternatives to driving are available in their local areas.

A big push to improve public transport, walking and cycling in Cardiff will be repeated in three other places as part of the Sustainable Travel Towns initiative.

And high steps between trains and platforms will be removed, particularly at rural stations.

Comments(6)

heresphil says...
9:15pm Wed 15 Jul 09

And about time too. The lack of ticketing integration between different bus companies and the trains has long been pitiful. It's always been a farce that you have to buy different tickets for Newport Transport and Stagecoach buses even when they follow the same thoroughfares as they do in Newport. Hopefully this is an end of the Thatcherite false ethos of competition that decimated our transport network in the eighties and a return to sensible cooperation. It's just a shame it will take so long.

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Nevasleep says...
11:11pm Wed 15 Jul 09

It will need to offer an advantage...eg DAILY CAP of £3 if traveling in local area eg South East Wales.

'And high steps between trains and platforms will be removed, particularly at rural stations.' -- Hows about removing overcrowding & improving frequency as a priority.

I can think of many better problems to solve too.

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Owain Vaughan says...
7:19am Thu 16 Jul 09

How exactly is an Oyster-style card supposed to work? It works in London because the transport system is self-contained. If I use it to get on a train at Newport High Street will I be able to use it to get out the other side in Bristol Temple Meads or Edinburgh Waverley? I seriously doubt it. Patchwork solutions like this are no solution at all. It either has to be a national system or only operate on a self-contained network. Applying it to the periphery of the rail network where it won't work on many journeys doesn't give it the same ubiquity as Oyster.

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PontyPeter says...
8:40am Thu 16 Jul 09

Although there are advantages to an "Oyster" type system in Wales, it will mostly benefit short haul commuters. To be really effective, there needs to be a UK wide system. A Welsh Oyster card will presumably not help those commuting to or from Bristol, for example.
Transport is a good example of the need for "joined up" thinking. Fragmentation is inefficient.

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The Abrogator says...
8:49am Thu 16 Jul 09

Great idea. I'll be able to catch a bus to the rail station in Llanhilleth and then a get a train on the Cardiff line without having to buy seperate tickets. Joined up thinking at last.
Let's hope it isn't undermined or held up by excessive bureaucracy and over zealous administrative procedures.

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Owain Vaughan says...
9:30am Thu 16 Jul 09

Abrogator - there is no such thing as "the Cardiff line" as well you know. This system will be useless if it is confined solely to Wales - it needs to be a national system.

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