Hi-tech machines just the ticket

SIMPLICITY . . . Councillor Matt Colledge, chairman of Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority and councillor Keith Whitmore with a machine similar to the one that will be used for Metrolink

OLDHAMERS are to be spared the frustration of using Metrolink’s hated ticket machines when trams take over from trains.

The current machines have been unreliable and complicated. But now, more than 200 new state-of-the-art machines costing £5.4m will be installed on the Metrolink network over the next three years.

All 121 old machines will be ripped out and replaced at existing stops and another 108 will be installed on the new lines to Oldham and Rochdale, Droylsden, Chorlton, and MediaCityUK in Salford Quays.

Up to five machines will be installed at each stop, including at least one queue-busting machine which will only accept cash.

All of the other machines will accept both cash and debit or credit cards.

Councillor Matt Colledge, chairman of Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority (GMPTA), said: “This new style of touch-screen ticket machine is already up and running at major UK train stations.

“The existing machines were installed when Metrolink was built and so the technology in them is now almost 20 years old.

“These new ticket machines will be much more reliable and the majority will accept debit and credit cards as well as cash.”

The ticket machines will be capable of accepting pay-as-you-go travel cards, similar to the Oyster card in London, if they’re introduced in Greater Manchester. That means we’ll be able to benefit from them for many years to come.”

Work will begin next year and all of the existing machines are due to be replaced by summer 2010.

The touch-screen ticket machines will be installed at each of the 27 new stops while they are being built.