West Yorkshire bus chiefs meet over Smartcard tickets

Dec 31 2010 Huddersfield Daily Examiner

BUS chiefs will meet in the new year to decide whether or not to introduce a smartcard ticketing system in West Yorkshire.

Their decision will hinge on the results of a public consultation on the planned smartcard system which ends today.

If approved, a scheme could be developed which would introduce simpler fares and smartcard-based tickets, like the Oyster card in London.

The new cards could be used on all public transport services in West Yorkshire.

They would be part of a Quality Contract, which would also mean a public transport network that is easier to understand and use, fewer service and timetable changes, better connections with rail services, more reliable bus services that arrive on time and a standard compensation policy for passengers if things go wrong.

Meanwhile consultation on the draft West Yorkshire Local Transport Plan has been extended to Friday January 7.

It is the third Local Transport Plan for West Yorkshire, covering the local road, bus, rail, walking and cycling networks.

The plan would run for 15 years from April 2011, with a Strategy for the first three years available from late January.