Tackling traffic congestion is the “next vital step” with urgent call to politicians
Stagecoach Manchester customers are the first in the region to be able to pay for their bus fare via contactless payment.
The launch of contactless payments is part of a £12m UK-wide investment by Stagecoach delivering contactless technology.
However, Stagecoach has called for urgent action by politicians to tackle traffic congestion, with the latest research showing that Manchester commuters spend an average of 40 hours each year stuck in traffic.
As part of the launch, MD Elizabeth Tasker, urged local politicians to act on congestion in the area.
“Congestion slows down journeys, pushes up fares, damages public health and undermines the work of operators to deliver improvements and attract more people to bus travel.
“We need politicians to step up and tackle this growing problem now, to allow our local bus networks to flourish for the many people who rely on them every day.”
She added: “The delivery of high-quality bus services is a shared responsibility and, although we are investing heavily in customer improvements in the areas we can control, there is one key issue that is holding buses back and damaging air quality and that is traffic congestion.”
Manchester is now the most congested city in the UK after London and Public Health England estimates that around 1000 people die every year in Greater Manchester because of increasingly poor air quality.
Since January 2015 Stagecoach Manchester has invested £9m in brand new cleaner, greener vehicles and facilities for local communities. Outside of London it has the largest fleet of hybrid buses.
As well as paying via contactless credit and debit cards, customers can also use Apple Pay and Android Pay to buy their ticket from the driver.
Stagecoach Manchester, part of the Stagecoach Group, operates 700 buses in North and South Manchester, including Trafford, Stockport, Tameside and Glossop.
The company carries 101 million passengers a year and employs 1,800 staff from the local community.
- An inographic video about the launch of contactless cards in Manchester is here
