Scots aim at smartcard world first

08 November 2006

A pilot of state-of-the-art equipment for Scotland’s bus fleet was launched in a trial run in Shetland this week leading to a possible world first for the Scots.
New ticketing machines on mainline buses will allow cardholders to place their smartcards on a machine reader, like London’s oyster card system, instead of the previous ‘show and go’ process.
Once trialled in Shetland the plan is to roll the technology out across Scotland, with the aim of paving the way for a system of having just one smartcard usable on all forms of public transport.
If it goes ahead, this would make Scotland the first country in the world to have an all in one transport smartcard - according to the Scottish Executive - as it will be the first scheme of its kind to be introduced into an entire country rather than a city.
Tavish Scott, transport minister, said: ‘This technology will improve efficiency and tackle potential fraud. The smartcard systems being tested on Shetland have the potential to cut costs, and in the future we hope to see passengers using just one card to access all forms of public transport.’
The equipment is initially for use with the older and disabled person’s concessionary travel scheme, but in the future will also be used for the younger person’s concessionary fares scheme.
Alongside the trial of electronic ticket machines on buses, Shetland will also be carrying out a live ‘proving trial’ of new back office technology, which will enable concessionary data to be transferred from bus operators to Transport Scotland. A spokeswoman for Transport Scotland said Shetland was chosen because it is a ‘self contained area’ ideal to test the technology and systems, before it is rolled out to larger areas of the country. Bridges: Labour sets seven-year deadline for new Forth bridge The first minister of Scotland has confirmed Labour is committed to building a new bridge over the Forth and it will happen within seven years if Labour remains in power. The Forth Estuary Transport Authority fears for the future of the current crossing which is riddled with corrosion.
Currently a £1.5M feasibility study into augmenting or even replacing the Forth Road Bridge’s main cables is taking place with results expected in May (Surveyor, 17 August). But, even before the corrosion was discovered, there were moves to create a second crossing to relieve congestion.
Jack McConnell, first minister, has said the new crossing would be in place before the existing road bridge closes to traffic in 2013.
Local politicians and officers involved in transport on both sides of the Forth have previously called for a firm decision on the future of a second crossing.
The decision was revealed when Labour included plans for a second crossing in an economic policy document to go before the Labour conference in Oban later this month, which states the bridge to be ‘crucial.’

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