Ticketless rail travel trial begins in Yorkshire

Passengers travelling between Leeds and Harrogate have been encouraged to take part

Rail passengers in Yorkshire have been invited to take part in a trial which will remove the need for them to buy tickets.

People travelling on Northern services between Leeds and Harrogate can download an app which will track their journey and charge them the lowest possible fare.

For ticket inspections and to go through ticket barriers, a unique QR code will appear.

The Department for Transport said it was "bringing ticketing into the 21st Century".

Steve Pickman, who worked on developing the system, said: "It's essentially the same as pay-as-you-go in large cities, but instead of tapping in and out on ticket gates, you tap in and out on your phone."

The app uses GPS to identify the passenger's current station, before inviting them to check-in to start their journey.

A QR code is generated which can be used to open ticket barriers and for train conductors to scan.

When they leave the train, a passenger taps "end journey" on the app.

"That's the equivalent of checking out with your bank card in London," Mr Pickman said.

A few minutes later, he said, the passenger receives a message telling them how much they have paid for the journey, with a guarantee they will be charged the lowest price.

When a passenger starts their journey on the smartphone app, a QR code is generated which they use to go through station barriers

The aim of the scheme was to "make ticketing even easier" by "taking the barriers away from buying a ticket", according to Northern's commercial and customer director, Alex Hornby.

"We often talk about ticketing and how easy it is in London, well this is even easier and it's happening in the north of England," he said.

He said the Leeds to Harrogate route had been chosen for the trial because it crossed between two different combined authorities.

The system is already in use in Denmark, the Netherlands and Switzerland, Mr Hornby said, adding that it is used on other modes of transport such as buses and trams.

"This is why the trial is so important to us, because I think it demonstrates the capability of ultimately reaching a pay-as-you-go system in different areas which is multi-modal."

Alex Hornby, from Northern, said a passenger would be charged the best value fare, with daily and weekly caps for prices

Rail minister Lord Peter Hendy said: "These trials are modernising fares and ticketing, making it simpler and easier for people to choose rail.

"As part of our Plan for Change, we're delivering straightforward, stress-free train travel across the north, supporting passengers and boosting economic growth, jobs and homes."

The trial will also be rolled out on Northern trains between Sheffield and Doncaster on 27 October and the operator's Sheffield to Barnsley services on 24 November.

The government said a pilot of the scheme in the East Midlands this month had been successful.

Passengers, who will be given £15 worth of free travel for taking part, can sign up to the trial here.

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