TfL commences plans to make London’s trams cashless

Transport for London (TfL) has begun an eight-week public consultation on plans to make trams in London ‘cashless’.

Credit: TfL

This would see existing cash ticket machines (which only sell a small number of the more expensive paper tickets every week and do not allow customers to top-up their Oyster card) removed from the tram network.

With ticket machines (which were installed when the tram system opened in 2000) having a low usage rate and now reaching the end of their useful life, it is no longer cost-effective for TfL to maintain them or have them replaced.

It is therefore proposed that TfL remove the machines and ask any customers who still buy paper tickets to switch to Oyster or contactless.

Customers will be able to top up their Oyster cards at Oyster Ticket Stops along the route, at ticket machines at National Rail stations or via the TfL website and forthcoming TfL Ticketing app.

“Most tram customers use pay-as-you-go with Oyster or contactless to travel, which is cheaper than paper tickets and also allows customers to use the Mayor’s new ‘Hopper’ fare to make two bus or tram journeys within an hour for the price of one,” said Rory O’Neill, Director of London Trams. “As very few ticket sales are made using ticket machines, we are asking local people and stakeholders if they think cash ticket machines should be removed altogether.”

Due to the convenience and value for money of using Oyster and contactless bank payment cards, only 0.3% of single tram journeys are paid for with a ticket bought from a tram stop ticket machine – fewer than 250 tickets per day.

A paper ticket bought from a ticket machine costs £2.60 whereas the equivalent pay-as-you-go single fare with Oyster or a contactless bank card is £1.50.

Subject to the results of the consultation, a final decision on whether to remove the machines will be made early next year.