Manchester transport body trials smartcard
Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive is trialling a pre-pay smartcard that can be used on buses and in shops. It is piloting the scheme in Bolton.
The executive is working with payments system operator, sQuidcard, to develop the “eMoney purse”, which can be used on Arriva bus services and to make small purchases, such as newspapers, food and other convenience goods.
Adam Smith, sQuidcard managing director, says that the partnership with GMPTE is an important development in the delivery of smartcard services for councils and transport authorities. The company claims tap-and-go transactions are much faster transaction than chip and pin and that the tap-and-go market will expand quickly to replace many of the £200bn sub-£10 cash sales made each year.
He says: “Our philosophy is to make electronic payments a flexible, responsive and cost-effective service for our customers, for merchants and for transport operators.”