Pop Pay As You Go smart travel now in use on all Go North East buses

Customers of the region’s largest bus operator, Go North East, can now use the Pop Pay As You Go payment card on their buses right across the region.

The Pop card is a way of paying for public transport and allows customers to use just one card to pay for bus, ferry and Metro travel.

Go North East is the first major bus operator in the region to roll the Pop card scheme out across the whole of the North East region. It is already in use on the Metro, the Shields Ferry and some other local bus routes.

Go North East has worked in partnership with The North East Smart Ticketing Initiative (NESTI), a partnership of local authorities and transport operators, to bring the Pop Pay As You Go to its passengers.

Head of marketing and retail at Go North East, Stephen King said: “We are committed to delivering smart ticketing to our customers and giving them the most convenient ways of paying for their travel, that best suit their lifestyle.”

People can buy a Pop Pay As You Go card from any Nexus travel shop or Payzone outlet. They can be topped-up online or at Metro stations and Nexus travel shops. Further information can be found www.nexus.org.uk/pop/payg

Go North East passengers just need to swipe their Pop Pay As You Go card on the card reader as they board the bus and the cost of the ticket will be automatically deducted from the balance.

Cllr Nick Forbes, NECA lead for transport, said: “Pop Pay As You Go means you can use one card to pay for travel whether going by bus, Metro or the Shields Ferry that day.

“This is all part of our vision to make public transport easy and affordable for people across our region.

“I’m delighted that Go North East is the latest bus operator to offer Pop Pay As You Go as a form of payment on its services.”

Pop Pay As You Go was launched last year by the North East Smart Ticketing Initiative – a partnership of the North East Combined Authority, Nexus, local councils and transport operators aimed at providing one smart card that could be used anywhere in the region.

The full list of bus services accepting Pop Pay As You Go can be found on the Nexus website at: http://www.nexus.org.uk/pop/payg/buses

When using Pop Pay As You Go on buses and ferry customers ask the driver for their destination, using the card as a cash-free form of payment.