Passengers using five Park and Ride sites on the Tyne and Wear Metro can now use contactless payments as part of further investment in modernising the customer experience. The introduction comes after data showed that there has been a steady decline in the numbers using cash to pay for their parking.
The five sites are located at Four Lane Ends, Bank Foot, Northumberland Park, Regent Centre, and Stadium of Light. New card only pay and display machines have been installed and went live from Monday 21st July. Funding for the new machines has come from the North East Combined Authority.
The new machines allow customers to either pay using contactless methods or by using chip and PIN. The option to pay by phone also remains in place. The cash only ticket machines are set to be removed in due course, after which time only card or phone payments will be possible.
Paul Welford, Major Projects Director at Nexus, said: “We’re modernising the customer experience on Metro and this includes offering more convenient ways to use our park and ride sites. This new payment technology will allow customers to pay by card using contactless and chip and pin. It will speed up the process of how customers pay for parking at five key Metro stations.
“We are committed to offering our customers more cash free and contactless payment options. It’s the convenience that customers want and we are delivering that. Metro park and ride is a more sustainable travel choice and is a popular way of getting into our local towns and city centres.
“Most customers already pay for parking by card at the pay machines through our pay by phone provider, so this change is the next logical step. The ability to pay with cash at these locations will no longer be available when the existing coin-only ticket machines are removed. Data has confirmed a steady decline in car park users paying by this means and we expect this trend to continue in common with many other cashless services around our region.”
Park and Ride sites at Heworth Interchange and Kingston Park will remain with cash payment methods as they are owned and managed by local authorities. The site at Callerton Parkway will be going contactless at a later date as part of a proposed major expansion.
Kim McGuinness, North East Mayor, said: “We’ve got big plans for transport and I want to make every journey by public transport in the region easier, cheaper and more enjoyable. That means improvements across every stage of a journey, right from arrival at our Metro Park and Ride sites. This investment will make paying for car parking more convenient and easier – perfect for those trying to catch the Metro to work in the morning.
“This investment will also see better lighting rolled out across the car parks as well as new CCTV, improving safety for everyone across the network, something I know is particularly important for women and girls. There’s more to do but this project is a great step forward with key improvements for passengers.”