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

Transport Committee: Evidence Ev 173
restrictions, <strong>and</strong> passengers are covered by the international conditions of carriage (Convention
Internationale pour le transport des Voyageurs or CIV) throughout their journey, providing protection in the
event of any delay or missed connection.
Does the Government have an adequate strategy for developing the integration of ticketing systems?
16. The Government has an active policy supporting the development of integrated ticketing systems
which embrace new opportunities for innovative ticketing. Close partnership with the private sector, local
authorities, transport operators <strong>and</strong> others has been seen as key to bringing this about. This work builds on
the range of measures described in the previous answer.
17. In December 2006, the Department of Transport published a policy document, “Putting Passengers
First”, setting out proposals for a modernised national framework for bus services. The Government intends
to publish a draft Road Transport Bill during the Spring, which would include legislative provisions needed
to implement these proposals. The draft Bill would also facilitate reform of local transport governance
arrangements in the major cities outside London, to enable a more coherent, coordinated approach to local
transport. It is hoped that the new framework would encourage all local transport authorities to promote
inter-operability of tickets <strong>and</strong> travelcards, in conjunction with other measures to improve bus services.
18. Over the past 10 years there has been a significant shift towards an integrated approach to
technological development; two outputs being Transport Direct <strong>and</strong> the ITSO specifications.
19. Users of Transport Direct, having requested <strong>and</strong> received a suitable journey plan <strong>and</strong> ticket
information can then seamlessly access a range of rail <strong>and</strong> coach retailers, with their desired itinerary being
transferred with them. This interface is a st<strong>and</strong>ard, published interface <strong>and</strong> could support a wide variety of
retailers <strong>and</strong> modes of transport.
20. Transport Direct also has a search capability that enables users to first select a ticket price <strong>and</strong> type
<strong>and</strong> then to access information regarding the services on which this is valid <strong>and</strong> currently available.
Currently this functionality is only supported by the rail industry but is mode neutral <strong>and</strong> could be used for
other modes where the retail <strong>and</strong> reservation system is capable of interfacing with Transport Direct.
21. The publication of the Integrated Transport White Paper in 1998 led to the Passenger Transport
Executives, with support from London Underground, other authorities <strong>and</strong> transport operators to form the
Integrated Transport Smartcard Organisation (ITSO). To ensure the emergence of local bespoke smartcard
schemes did not result in the loss of existing integrated ticketing solutions, the Department for Transport
sponsored a research programme, through ITSO, to deliver interoperable ticketing specifications across all
modes of transport. In March 2004 the specifications <strong>and</strong> licence agreements, known collectively as the
ITSO Specifications were published. These are Crown Copyright <strong>and</strong> available free of charge, ensuring the
freedom of the supply industry to compete against one common framework in the delivery of ticketing
systems.
22. The Department for Transport <strong>and</strong> ITSO have jointly supported the emergence of European <strong>and</strong>
International st<strong>and</strong>ards in this area. The framework st<strong>and</strong>ard, which describes all the actors involved in
providing a smartcard ticketing scheme became an International St<strong>and</strong>ard in February 2007. This work has
been fundamental to future proofing UK technological development with other developments across
Europe <strong>and</strong> beyond.
23. The Department for Transport has followed an active policy supporting smartcard implementations.
We have encouraged the convergence to the ITSO st<strong>and</strong>ard through a series of migration projects in
London, Cheshire, Nottinghamshire <strong>and</strong> Southampton; the introduction of ITSO on national rail through
the new franchise negotiations; <strong>and</strong> support for the introduction of smartcard ticketing in Yorkshire,
Cumbria <strong>and</strong> Lancashire. This will enable passengers to use the same smartcard for tickets in any of these,
or any other areas with ITSO schemes. Research conducted using Oyster cards demonstrated the technical
ability to place a limited use 32 ITSO ticket on an existing Oyster card.
24. In May 2006 the Secretary of State for Transport <strong>and</strong> the Mayor of London agreed that TfL would
roll out Oyster Pay as you go to mainline rail in London <strong>and</strong> would also make the existing Oyster estate
compliant with basic ITSO smartcard products. On 31 January all London Train Operating Companies
(TOCs) agreed to continue to work with TfL towards achieving Pay as you go, although some remained
concerned about the cost of Oyster. This extension of Pay as you go will benefit passengers within London.
The introduction of ITSO interoperability into London ensures smartcards from anywhere in the country
will work in London, which is particularly important for rail travel where journeys begin or end outside
London. ITSO interoperability <strong>and</strong> Pay as you go is expected to be in place by 2009.
25. The Government is considering using smartcards for the English national bus travel concession being
introduced in April 2008. A national identifier will be needed so that concessionary passes issued by any
local authority can be recognised across Engl<strong>and</strong>. Under such an arrangement local authorities could be
required to issue concessionary permits in the form of smartcards, compatible with the ITSO st<strong>and</strong>ard.
32 The space on existing Oyster cards limits the ability to store additional complex tickets on the same card. The ITSO
specifications provide a range of ticketing products which could be stored in the space. Examples of the sort of ticket which
could use this space include singles, returns <strong>and</strong> carnet. It may also be possible to extend the ticket range to include concessions.