THE introduction of tap-and-go tickets on the Merseyrail network is about to take its next major step by the end of this month.

It was revealed back in March that as part of a £10m investment, passengers will be able to use a Metro Card linked to their bank account for their journeys across the Liverpool City Region as part of a two-stage launch. Bank cards and smart devices will be able to be used next year.

Now new documents have revealed the project is to take a big step forward as part of the wider smart ticketing programme.

Earlier this year, Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram said it had become apparent the current ticketing system is “no longer equipped” to meet passenger demand and sought to upgrade the scheme. It is hoped the upgrade will encourage more people out of their cars and onto buses, trains and ferries to improve air quality and support the city region’s ambition to be net zero carbon by 2040.

In a metro network update to go before the city region’s combined authority next week, members will be told back-office systems will be completed by the end of this month. The report said: “Thorough system testing is taking place and if successful there will be minimal impact for passengers using Metro Cards or Concessionary Travel Cards across bus, rail and ferry services.

“The migration will result in a small period of online ticketing services being unavailable, but passengers will still be able to travel and buy tickets across the network.”

Once the migration of back-office services is completed, a range of further enhancements are scheduled in the programme. These include enhancements to online services, including automated renewal emails to passengers and the ability to report Metro Cards as lost or stolen and receive replacements.

The new tap-and-go system will accept contactless payments and will give commuters the best price for their journey. This will also eliminate the need to purchase tickets in advance and working out the best available price.

The facility will be available in a first phase from the autumn. The second phase will launch in 2025 and see passengers able to use their bank card, or devices such as phones or watches, without the need for a MetroCard.

Passengers will need to tap in at the beginning and end of their journey to ensure a lowest price fare promise – capped daily and weekly through the smart system. They will also still be able to buy season tickets, as well as daily and return tickets from rail stations and online via the Metro Portal.

The work to introduce the scheme on the network will also include the renewal of rail gates and platform validators. The update will be endorsed at Mann Island on Friday July 19.