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Nexus unveil new ticket machines

Nexus has began the roll-out of its new Metro ticket machines, with Byker becoming the first Metro station to be upgraded in Newcastle.

Newcastle East MP Nick Brown and Chairman of the Tyne and Wear ITA, Cllr David Wood were on hand to unveil the new machines.

Machines will be installed at stations every week, and represent the heart of a £25m project to update the ticketing system across the Metro.

The new machines can accept credit and debit cards, notes and coins, and will be equipped to accept smartcard payments.

It is just one part of the £385m Metro ‘all change’ modernisation programme, which will see the system transformed over the next 11 years, including revamped stations and trains.

Chairman of the Tyne and Wear ITA, Cllr David Wood, said: “The installation of the new Metro ticket machines is starting to gather momentum and I’m really pleased to say that Byker is the first station in Newcastle to get them.

“More and more stations will get new ticket machines over the coming weeks and they will really transform the way the public use the Metro system.

“They accept bank notes and credit and debit card payments, making life much easier for the passengers.”

Touch-screen technology will allow passengers to buy weekly tickets from the machines, up to seven days in advance of using them.

The new Pop card scheme will develop into a full ‘pay as you ride’ option with stored cash balance on card in 2012.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Tom Keighley .