Bus smartcards could be rolled out

Swipecard technology is set to be rolled out on 2,500 West Midlands buses by the end of the year. The Smartcard system is due to start being introduced from the end of May.

It will benefit more than 500,000 passengers and follows a successful trial which has seen machines put on Central and Silverline buses since last November. Centro are in the final stages of testing the software and will be paying for the installation of equipment on buses across Walsall, Wolverhampton, Dudley, Sandwell, Birmingham, Solihull and Coventry.

The system works through concessionary passes containing a chip which ensures that they are Smartcard-enabled.

These can be swiped through a machine rather than passes flashed in front of a driver.

This will help minimise fraud and ensure the number of journeys made by pass-holders are electronically recorded.

The first trials, launched last year, included the 679 Wednesbury to Yew Tree Estate via Friar Park service and the 118 Fort Shopping Park to Aldridge via Kingstanding service.

This was then extended to the National Express number 50 route in Birmingham.

Centro spokeswoman Babs Coombes said: "We are planning on completing the whole roll out to 2,500 buses by the end of the year.

"Things have gone really well, we are in the final stage of testing the software which we are hoping to complete in the next couple of weeks.

"We are hoping to start the roll out by the end of May subject to the final software tests."

Bosses at Walsall Council have carried out a review of transport in the borough including the use of Smartcards

Councillor Dennis Anson, chair of the panel which has overseen the assessment of transport has welcomed the use of such technology.

He said: "Bringing in Smartcards is a brilliant idea.

"Everything will be recorded electronically.

"It will allow drivers to concentrate on driving rather than having cards flashed in front of them."