00:00Passengers across the Liverpool city region are preparing for a major shift in how they
00:05pay for train journeys. Contactless ticketing on the Mersey Rail network is set to go live
00:11in two weeks, following a successful trial involving 50 local users last year. The pilot
00:17was designed to test a tap-and-go system, similar to those already in use in London
00:22and other major cities worldwide. Since August, the MetroCards game has allowed passengers
00:28to tap in and out, guaranteeing the lowest fare for each journey. More than 6,000 people signed
00:34up in the first month under the improved system, which cost around Ā£10m to implement. Metro
00:40Mayor Steve Rotherham told BBC Radio Merseyside listeners that the next phase of smart ticketing
00:45will let passengers use smartphones, watches and other wearables to directly pay without
00:51tickets. New gates at Moors Field Station are part of the upgrade, helping passengers move
00:57through stations more quickly. The system also calculates the cheapest fare for multiple
01:02journeys in a day, capped daily and weekly, offering passengers savings without extra effort.
01:07Traditional season tickets, as well as daily and return options, remain available via stations
01:13or the Metro portal. Mr Rotherham highlighted that much of the cost went into the back-office
01:18system, which handles complex fare calculations. He said the technology ensures fairness and convenience,
01:24aiming to replicate a London-style transport network in the Liverpool city region.
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