Published on: Thursday, 7 December 2023
Last updated: Thursday, 7 December 2023
East Anglia’s train operator, Greater Anglia, is upgrading some of its ticket vending machines to enable a new type of ticket to be trialed on its network.
Ticket machines at 18 stations will be upgraded to enable them to print a barcode onto tickets, which means that tickets can then be scanned at ticket barriers, rather than being inserted.
The stations to be involved in the trial are Acle, Brundall, Cambridge, Cambridge North, Cromer, Ely, Gunton, Hoveton & Wroxham, Lingwood, North Walsham, Norwich, Oulton Broad North, Reedham, Roughton Road, Sheringham, Stansted Airport, West Runton, and Worstead.
The trial is expected to commence in mid-December and last for three months to investigate whether it is feasible to make scannable tickets widely available via ticket vending machines.
Malcolm Cotter, Greater Anglia’s Head of Retail Systems, said:
“Passengers may notice tickets from the ticket machines looking a little different than they usually do. They will be on plain white paper, instead of the usual orange, and will contain a barcode. These must be scanned at the ticket barriers instead of being inserted.
“Staff on the trains and at the ticket gates will be able to provide assistance and advice while we carry out this trial and we would be grateful for any feedback from passengers who use them.”
Smartcards, e-tickets and mobile tickets purchased online can already be scanned at Greater Anglia ticket barriers.
The trial will determine whether tickets bought from ticket vending machines can also be brought in line with this more convenient and faster method of passing through the ticket barriers.