Smart card system for West Midlands rail network

The Swift card, which can be topped up cash, will be rolled out across the region as part of a £620,000 investment over the next two years.

Passengers will be able to use the smart cards at the redeveloped Birmingham New Street from September.

The expansion for smart ticketing, which is currently used on buses across the region, was announced by Transport Minister Baroness Kramer.

The cash will enable Centro to extend Swift across the region and pave the way for the introduction of similar products in the future.

Baroness Kramer said: "Smart ticketing is revolutionising travel and is an important part of the transport investment which will help to build a stronger economy and fairer society. I am very pleased that it is gaining real momentum.

"Implementing smart tickets involves close working across operators, administrative regions and industries. These three initiatives show how much can be done through partnership working."

Centro chairman Councillor John McNicholas said: "I am delighted that our smart ticketing programme is to receive such a boost.

"It means we can start to roll out Swift across the local rail network at a time when train usage is at its highest in nearly a century.

"The ultimate winner though is the passenger, who will now have a smart ticket they can use across all forms of transport."

Patrick Verwer, managing director of London Midland trains which operates local rail services in the West Midlands, said: "The investment in smart ticketing will not only benefit existing users but also has the potential to attract new passengers to rail, bus and Midland Metro travel.

"Smart ticketing is another example of how we are making our rail network easier for our passengers to use."

Swift is currently accepted on ten different bus operators covering approximately 100 routes across the West Midlands.

Baroness Kramer made the announcement at a meeting with the Smart Cities Partnership.

The Smart Cities Partnership consists of nine city regions, representing the largest conurbations outside London including those in Yorkshire, the West Midlands, Merseyside, Leicester and Nottingham.

Separately, the minister announced that the government will be working with the UK Cards Association – the body representing the card payments industry – to bring contactless payment to public transport country-wide.

The association will lead a project to coordinate actions among card payment processors, card issuers as well as UK transport operators.