Lilian Greenwood MP, Labour’s Shadow Transport Secretary, responding to the Government’s announcement on contactless bus and rail ticketing, said:

“Today’s announcement is a desperate attempt to distract attention from the Government’s failing smart ticketing programme which is at least three years late and 78 per cent over budget. Ministers have already wasted £38 million of taxpayers’ money on an existing scheme which has not delivered the benefits that hard-pressed passengers need. Now their only answer is to hand yet more control to train operating companies who have delayed the introduction of new types of tickets.

“Contactless payments are welcome but they will not deliver the part-time season tickets that the Conservatives promised commuters at the election. The truth is that is has proved to be far too difficult to reform fares and ticketing on our deregulated bus services and our fragmented rail network, and there is no reason why passengers in most of the country should wait at least seven years to use the same technology that is already in place in London.”