MORE than 170,000 journeys were made using Metrolink’s new contactless payment system in the four weeks since it launched - from Monday, July 15 to Sunday, August 11.

The new and easy-to-use payment system is proving particularly popular on event days, with 9,931 journeys made using contactless on August 9 – when Lancashire’s 20/20 cricket match with Yorkshire was unfortunately rained off – while a further 8,009 journeys were made on August 11 when Manchester United played their opening Premier League fixture at home to Chelsea.

Contactless cuts out the need to buy a paper ticket or download the app, with passengers simply required to use their contactless enabled devices, such as bank cards, phones and watches, to "touch-in" and "touch-out" at tram stops at the start and end of their journey, with the system working out their fare, up to a daily cap.

Despite the relative ease of use, some customers are not "touching-out", resulting in them being charged an incomplete journey fare of £4.60 – the maximum for a single journey. This charge is not included as a part of the maximum capped daily price of £7.

Information reminding people to touch out has been put on all trams, including on the back of seats and tram doors and at tram stops.

Staff continue to be on hand to talk to people about the new system and messages reminding customers to "touch-out" are also being made on Metrolink’s PA system, by drivers and on the digital information displays, as well as on social media

Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) says it is working with those customers who have not "touched-out" and is providing refunds where appropriate.

TfGM’s customer director, Stephen Rhodes, said: “Contactless is a really simple and convenient way for people to pay for journeys on Metrolink and it’s great to see so many people have already taken to it.

“We recognise this is a different way of paying for travel and it will take some people a little while to adapt, which is why our customer information has an emphasis on the need to ‘touch-in’ and ‘touch-out’.

“As people get used to it, we hope it will become second nature, but anyone who is really concerned about forgetting is still able to use all the other options that were previously available to pay for their travel.”

For more information on Metrolink services visit www.tfgm.com, call Metrolink Customer Services on 0161 205 2000 or follow @MCRMetrolink on Twitter for live travel updates.

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Media contact: 0161 244 1055 or email mediarelations@tfgm.com