Anyone who knows Edinburgh will be quick to tell you that behind the internationally-celebrated architecture, history and festivals lies a slew of problems. As far as public transport is concerned though, it has long been in a strong position, especially when compared with most other UK cities.
Having publicly-owned buses and trams helps ensure services are frequent and relatively affordable — but for years, the lack of seamless integrated ticketing between the two has been a glaring omission in the city's public transport network.
This contrast becomes even more striking to Edinburgh locals when they visit London, where a 'tap-and-go' contactless system for debit and credit cards has been in place across the underground and buses for over a decade — and the Oyster card has been around for 20 years.
The prospect of the same technology being rolled out in Scotland's capital was mooted in early 2020 in a draft version of the council's 10-year city mobility plan. This said integrated ticketing would support social inclusion, and likely to lead to "less congestion on the roads due to a fewer number of cars".
While patronage on the trams has since doubled following the line's extension to Newhaven, passengers have been limited to purchasing paper tickets at platforms or via the travel mobile app, with a £10 surcharge for those who fail to buy before boarding.
But Edinburgh's wait for integrated ticketing will soon be over, with the announcement of a 'tap on, tap off’ system for the trams on Monday.
The change means tram users will be able to pay for journeys contactless at platforms using their card. Unlike on the city's buses however, there will be a requirement to 'tap off' when they get off.
The system will work in tandem with Lothian Buses so, once in place, passengers will be able to make unlimited journeys on both modes of transport, with fares capped at £5 a day and £24.50 a week within the City Zone.
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Trips to and from Edinburgh Airport from the city will continue to cost £7.90 for a single and £9.50 for a return, and anyone who forgets to 'tap off' will be charged a single airport fare.
The Scottish Government unveiled its new smart ticketing strategy last year aimed at increasing the use of sustainable public transport by providing "smart and integrated ticketing". The government said it would work with operators and public bodies to "progress and modernise both the provision of digital travel data across Scotland and integrated smart ticketing and payment methods".
Edinburgh Trams said its new system, developed in collaboration with payment provider Flowbird, would be the first project of its kind in Scotland. It is in the 'final stages of testing' with a launch date set to be announced 'soon'.
Lea Harrison, Edinburgh Trams’ managing director, said following the launch of services to Newhaven in 2023 the arms-length transport company was "continuing to invest in technology to make trams an even more attractive proposition for both residents and visitors".
He said: “This has included the replacement of 10-year-old tram stop validators to enable contactless cards to be securely accepted, and new hand-held devices for our staff to check that customers have ‘tapped on’ before boarding.
“The cutting-edge technology requires extensive testing before it becomes fully operational, but we are now just weeks away from it being rolled out across the network.
“When the system goes live, it will mark another milestone for Edinburgh Trams, the city, and its world-class public transport network.”
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