Ticketing and Concessionary Travel on Public Transport - United ...

Ev 172 Transport Committee: Evidence
— considering ITSO smartcards as part of the introduction of the national bus travel concession in
Engl<strong>and</strong> in April 2008. The national concession is provided for in the <strong>Concessionary</strong> Bus <strong>Travel</strong>
Bill currently going through Parliament.
5. In the context of bus services the Government published “Putting Passengers First” in December 2006
which introduces proposals to transform the l<strong>and</strong>scape <strong>and</strong> ensure that bus services are better designed
around the needs <strong>and</strong> requirements of the public. This should provide the opportunity to embrace the
developments in ticketing st<strong>and</strong>ards <strong>and</strong> information services ensuring bus services form part of a better
integrated transport provision.
6. Looking to the future, our research programme is investigating related technologies <strong>and</strong> the use of
innovative ticketing products, <strong>and</strong> is exploring the ability to interface with mobile operators <strong>and</strong> the banks
by sharing the infrastructure <strong>and</strong> card space.
Integrated <strong>Ticketing</strong>
Is ticketing suYciently integrated across diVerent modes of transport <strong>and</strong> between diVerent geographical areas?
7. The Government supports a range of measures which ensures integrated ticketing between operators
<strong>and</strong> modes across geographical areas. These measures include a Block Exemption Order, powers in the
Transport Act 2000 <strong>and</strong> specific rail obligations on franchise holders to ensure the ongoing delivery of an
integrated rail network.
8. The bus industry outside London is deregulated, <strong>and</strong> the majority of bus services are provided on a
commercial basis. Bus companies are subject to general competition law but the Block Exemption Order 31
referred to in the Committee’s Press Notice forms an important exception to the general rule that
undertakings may not form collective agreements to set a price for a product. The eVect of the block
exemption is that transport operators can market various forms of ticket or travelcard which are valid on
the services of more than one operator, provided certain conditions (specified in the Order) are observed.
9. The Order relates to public transport generally (including rail <strong>and</strong> ferries) but is particularly relevant
for deregulated bus <strong>and</strong> coach services. An example is the Solent <strong>Travel</strong>card scheme, launched in March
2004. <strong>Travel</strong>cards are valid on all bus services over a wide area around the Solent <strong>and</strong> Hampshire as far
north as Winchester, with participating operators including subsidiaries of First, Stagecoach <strong>and</strong> Go-Ahead
as well as small local firms.
10. The Transport Act 2000 also makes provisions for local authorities to improve local transport
services, primarily buses, by making ticketing schemes. They have not, to date, been widely used.
11. The Government maintains integrated ticketing across the rail network by requiring train operators
through their passenger licence <strong>and</strong> franchise agreement to participate in, <strong>and</strong> comply with, throughticketing
arrangements between operators. Any changes to these arrangements have to be approved by the
Secretary of State. The <strong>Ticketing</strong> & Settlement Agreement (TSA) delivers through ticketing <strong>and</strong> ticket interavailability
throughout the UK rail network. It also ensures that tickets for any operator for a whole range
of journeys can be bought at any ticket oYce.
12. In addition the Government requires the train operators, through the franchise agreements, to
participate in the three London ticketing agreements: the LRT Agreement, the <strong>Travel</strong>card Agreement <strong>and</strong>
the Through <strong>Ticketing</strong> Non-<strong>Travel</strong>card Agreement. These deliver through ticketing between rail <strong>and</strong>
London buses, Underground, Dockl<strong>and</strong>s Light Railway <strong>and</strong> Croydon Tramlink, including multi-modal
<strong>Travel</strong>card fares. Individual franchise agreements include references to any local ticketing agreements which
relevant Passenger Transport Executive’s or Local Authorities have introduced which have a bearing on the
rail services in their area.
13. We have actively encouraged further integration by the private sector, the “PlusBus” initiative allows
rail tickets to be issued with a bus add-on at one or both ends of the journey in almost 200 UK towns <strong>and</strong>
cities. PlusBus has been developed by Journey Solutions, an independent company funded by train <strong>and</strong> bus
operators. PlusBus terms <strong>and</strong> conditions are st<strong>and</strong>ard across the country, <strong>and</strong> information has been wellpublicised
to ticket oYce staV.
14. Government also supports the train operators’ eVorts to integrate other services with many bus <strong>and</strong>
ferry operators around the country, <strong>and</strong> with attractions such as Leeds Castle or Alton Towers. Through
tickets can be issued from any British station to the Isle of Wight, the Channel Isl<strong>and</strong>s, any station in the
Republic of Irel<strong>and</strong>, any station in Northern Irel<strong>and</strong>, <strong>and</strong> (via Harwich-Hoek van Holl<strong>and</strong>) any Dutch
station.
15. For passengers making international journeys by Eurostar which start in the UK, Saver fares are
available from almost any British station to a destination called “London International CIV”, intended for
use in conjunction with Eurostar tickets to the continent. Tickets to London International CIV include the
Underground across London to Waterloo, unlike conventional Saver fares they have few or no time
31 The Competition Act 1998 (Public Transport <strong>Ticketing</strong> Schemes Block Exemption) Order 2001 (SI 2001/319), amended by
The Competition Act 1998 (Public Transport <strong>Ticketing</strong> Schemes Block Exemption) (Amendment) Order 2005 (SI 2005/3347).