New 'Tap-on, Tap-off' ticket technology costing £300k to be installed on Sheffield buses to 'simplify payment'

First South Yorkshire has announced that the fitting of the contactless ‘tap-off readers’ is now underway across its fleet, and will enable the bus operator to introduce the Tap-On Tap-Off system from this Spring.

Explaining how the technology will work, a spokesperson for First South Yorkshire said: “The Tap-On Tap-Off contactless system guarantees customers ultimate flexibility on the fare paid. It charges for a single journey and customers who make several bus trips will pay a capped adult daily or weekly price depending upon how often they travel.

“Customers simply use their contactless card or mobile at the ticket machine next to the driver but then ‘tap’ again on the new special card reader device when leaving the bus. Existing options to pay for travel such as using cash or TravelMaster smartcards remain unchanged.”

The firm said it is ‘working closely’ with the Mayor and the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, local councillors, and bus users to ‘meet the aspirations set out through the Enhanced Partnership to deliver more reliable services, improved bus priority measures and to introduce fare initiatives such as the government funded £2 adult flat fare offering that is running presently’.

Ian Humphreys, Managing Director at First South Yorkshire, said: “This investment of over £300k in Tap-on Tap-Off technology is another important step in simplifying journeys and will pave the way to an all-operator integrated system in the future.”

Oliver Coppard, South Yorkshire’s Mayor, said: “Fixing the public transport system means investing in the network and buses whilst simplifying the tickets and fares for passengers. I’m pleased to see this investment being announced today by First South Yorkshire and the approach being shown on their commercial ticket prices.

“The bus network across South Yorkshire needs this type of investment to improve the offer to customers before prices change.”

In addition, First South Yorkshire has pledged to not increase its commercial fares this month (January 2023) ‘despite facing increasing costs’ and will instead review the position again in March 2023.

Mr Humphreys added: “In support of the Enhanced Partnership’s objectives, and recognising the present cost of living crisis, I can also confirm we will not be changing our commercial fares in January. Like many businesses, we are experiencing a significant increase in costs which we will continue to absorb for as long as we can although we will need to review the situation again towards the end of March.

“We have also been actively recruiting more drivers who have joined our team, and we are now in a more stable position to deliver improved reliability and punctuality across our service network. It is crucial, that for us to improve bus provision across the South Yorkshire region, we need to work together in partnership. We can then aspire to see better services, more demand and confidence returning from people wanting to use buses as their preferred method of travel.”