NATIONAL Express train operator c2c is offering thousands of local rail passengers ‘bPay by Barclaycard’ contactless payment wristbands, which can help them to access cheaper rail travel.
c2c is offering the bPay wristbands, which contain a small contactless chip that allows them to make ‘touch and go’ payments in the same way as a contactless credit or debit card, to 8,000 selected local rail passengers in East London and Thurrock .
These selected passengers all currently buy either weekly Travelcards or point-to-point season tickets within the Oyster pay-as-you-go area. They could save money by using bPay instead because they become eligible for the lower daily and weekly capping that applies to contactless travel payment.
This would save those making the longest journeys up to £80 a month compared to the cost of their current tickets.
bPay consists of a digital wallet to which users add funds from a UK-registered Visa or MasterCard debit or credit card, either ‘on the go’ using the mobile app, online, or set their account to do so automatically when their balance falls below a pre-set level.
Like any other form of contactless payment, bPay can also be used to pay for transactions of £30 and under in over 300,000 locations across the UK.
c2c Managing Director Julian Drury said: “We’re teaming up with bPay to help local rail passengers save money. If they register for one of these free wristbands, they can benefit from cheaper travel, plus make fast, easy and secure payments at thousands of retailers, every day.
“This is part of our plans to improve the service that c2c passengers receive by providing them with better value, increasing capacity and delivering better customer service.”
Tami Hargreaves, Commercial Director of Digital Consumer Payments at Barclaycard, said: “Every second counts on the morning commute and having to queue to buy your ticket, hunt down your purse from the depths of your bag, or encountering the dreaded red light at the ticket barrier because you need to top-up can feel like it’s adding ages to the day.
“bPay is the ideal solution for commuters looking for a seamless way to pay for their travel, including for those currently without a contactless card, as it’s quicker, easier and cheaper than a paper ticket. As well as using it for travel on c2c trains and the London transport network, bPay can also be used to pay for a whole range of purchases throughout the day, making it a truly convenient prospect.”
Current c2c passengers who would benefit from switching are being emailed directly with a unique code to register for their free bPay wristband.
Contactless payment is currently available on c2c anywhere within the London travelcard zones and at Chafford Hundred, Ockendon, Purfleet and Grays, as well as on TfL services and other rail operators in London. The contactless payment system will be extended to the rest of the c2c route by 2017.
More details are available at http://www.c2c-online.co.uk/tickets-and-fares/oyster-contactless/bpay-by-barclaycard/
