Anyone who has ever visited a newsagents or coffee shop knows how annoying it is to rummage through a pocket or purse in an attempt to find the right change. But this experience could soon be a thing of the past if ambitious plans to create Europe’s first “tap and go” payment system in the capital get the go-ahead.
Transport for London, the public sector body in charge of the capital’s tube and bus network, is in advanced negotiations with two short-listed companies to expand its Oyster smart-card ticketing system.
TfL wants the card to become an “e-purse” alternative to cash for low-value goods and services. If it presses ahead with the scheme, currently only under consideration for London, it could roll it out nationwde.
Related: Oyster card usability analysis by Matt Stephens