Testing of new public transport ticket system to start in weeks

TESTING OF the new integrated ticketing system for public transport in Dublin is to get under way within weeks, with a pilot project beginning before the summer.

According to the Railway Procurement Agency (RPA) “bench testing” of the card scanners and back-office systems has gone well, and physical testing of the cards on the Luas and Dublin Bus vehicles will now begin.

Following this anyone with annual tickets for either Dublin Bus or Luas will be invited to take part in pilot project which will get under way “before the summer” according to the RPA project manager Tim Gaston.

However, the RPA is keen to avoid a “big bang” opening with service providers and commuters being added gradually over the coming year.

Ultimately all licensed mass public transport providers in Dublin will be able to use the integrated ticketing system, providing Dubliners with a new, flexible way of paying for travel which is similar to the Oyster card employed by Transport for London.

According to Mr Gaston those selected for the pilot project will receive “some reward”. If the project goes well numbers will be expanded and testing will then move on to the pay-as-you-go cards after the summer.

Early next year Irish Rail systems will be integrated and the infrastructure will gradually be rolled out to non-State-owned bus companies.

The system is designed to handle transactions worth hundreds of millions of euro per year, scanning prepaid smart card tickets with “proximity” readers similar to those currently in use for Luas smart cards, and passing on the money to the relevant transport company.

The two main elements of technology are the scanners, the technology for which the RPA is sourcing from Germany, and the “back office” computers which apportion the money. Back-office technology is being provided by IBM.

Mr Gaston said the RPA was in discussion with a number of firms on the provision of credit-loading facilities for the smart cards, but refused to comment on reports that a deal had been done with PayPal for the provision of such services.

The new system is also expected to have an effect on unlicensed operators, making them less attractive to commuters because they will not be able to accept the new cards.