More rail stations to accept contactless payment

More rail stations in the East of England are set to allow contactless payments at barriers.

A further 15 stations in Essex, 11 in Hertfordshire, two in Buckinghamshire and one in Bedfordshire were due to introduce the tap-in tap-out payment system from 2 February.

The scheme was supposed to begin in September but was delayed by a cyber-attack affecting Transport for London (TfL).

Lord Peter Hendy, the minister of state for rail, said the new technology would take "the stress out of navigating the labyrinth of fares".

The new stations allowing people to pay contactless at barriers will be:

• Essex: West Horndon, Laindon, Basildon, Pitsea, Benfleet, Leigh-on-Sea, Chalkwell, Westcliff, Southend Central, Southend East, Thorpe Bay, Shoeburyness, Tilbury Town, East Tilbury and Stanford-le-Hope

• Hertfordshire: Watford North, Garston, Bricket Wood, How Wood, Park Street, St Albans Abbey, King's Langley, Apsley, Hemel Hempstead, Berkhamsted and Tring

• Buckinghamshire: Cheddington and Bletchley

• Bedfordshire: Leighton Buzzard

A further 49 stations, including London Stansted Airport, Chelmsford, Letchworth Garden City and Roydon, were also due to adopt contactless payments in 2025, although a date was not set.

Lord Hendy said the work came as part of the "biggest overhaul of our rail network in a generation".

He added: "This hassle-free technology will simplify thousands of journeys every day for passengers."