Iain Stewart, the MP for Milton Keynes South, has welcomed a Government announcement to expand the rollout of tap-in tap-out ticketing for rail passengers across the country.
A further 53 train stations are included in the latest expansion of the modernised ticketing system which allows passengers to use their phone or bank card to ‘tap in’ for journeys, rather than booking tickets in advance.
And Iain Stewart MP, who is Chair of the Transport Select Committee, is hoping stations in Milton Keynes will be next on the list to benefit from the simpler, smarter ticketing system.
The local MP said:
“This is an extremely exciting announcement for the future of rail transport across the country which will make train travel easier and more accessible for passengers.
“It’s fantastic to see a further 53 stations being added to the rollout and I hope to see Milton Keynes Central, Bletchley and Wolverton join the list very shortly.”
Huw Merriman, the Rail Minister, commented:
“One of the best ways to get more people using our railways is to make journeys as simple, flexible and convenient as possible and the government’s programme for rail reform prioritises exactly that.
“By removing the stress of finding the best deal in advance or having the right ticket ready to go at the barriers, the extension of tap-in tap-out ticketing is the next step of our plan for rail reform and we’re working towards Pay As You Go being rolled out beyond the South East through the Midlands and up to the North.”
The rollout is part of the Government’s wider plans to reform and overhaul fares and ticketing across Britain’s railways, making them simpler and more flexible across the network. In just the last few months the Government has been getting on with this reform, such as announcing the headquarters of Great British Railways (GBR) and extended single-leg pricing across all of LNER’s network.