Bolton Council launch the UK’s first multi-purse smartcard with an ITSO “pay-as-you-go travel purse“

Bolton, 29 September 2009.
The first multi-purse smart card with an ITSO (*) enabled pay-as-you-go travel purse has been launched in Bolton as a result of a successful partnership between Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive (GMPTE), Bolton Council, Arriva buses, Parkeon, ACT and sQuid - the eMoney payments network.

Applied Card Technologies Ltd (ACT) has an impressive track record in the design, development, installation and operation of smart card transaction systems. Its pioneering products coupled with superior service create dependable solutions for retail and hospitality, transport, and tourism markets worldwide. ACT developed a number of the technology components for the pay-as-you-go travel purse service, leveraging its own smartcard and transaction systems expertise as well as providing expertise to facilitate seamless integration between the ACT provided HOPS and the sQuid service.

ACT Project Manager, David Robinson said “ACT is delighted to have been involved in Bolton’s multi-purse smart card project. This scheme demonstrates the benefit of exploiting smart card technology to provide multiple services on a single card”.

The multi-purse smart card, which enables card holders to access Council services, use an eMoney retail purse and ITSO enabled pay-as-you-go bus travel purse, is a significant breakthrough and a UK first.

Card holders can now pay for bus travel on over 30 Arriva bus routes in Bolton with their card, in addition to accessing Council services and shopping at local participating stores. Children in Bolton with the Council issued BSmart card can now easily pay for their bus journey to school, entrance to a leisure centre, pay for a snack, take a book out at the library and then get the bus home, without ever needing to carry cash. Parents can top up their child’s card online and view their transactions should they want to.

The pay-as-you-go transit purse has been specially adapted by sQuid to work on any ITSO smart card and provides a secure platform for customers and operators to make electronic transactions.

“The addition of a transit purse on our Council issued smart cards is an added value service to our community” said Councilor Linda Thomas of Bolton Council.

This is something not even Transport for London’s Oyster card has been able to achieve, but has been successfully launched in Bolton to better understand the potential for a wider rollout in Manchester as part of the overall fares and ticketing strategy.

“This is an exciting development in the smart card journey,” says Phil Stone, MD Arriva North West. “For the first time ever, passengers will be able to make online top ups to ITSO cards for pay-as-you-go travel on Arriva buses in Bolton. It adds a completely new level of flexibility to bus travel.”

The project has been led by GMPTE and Bolton Council who are supporting the Government strategy for smart ticketing. Councilor Keith Whitmore, Chairman of Greater Manchester Integrated Transport Authority says “This is part of GMITA’s aspiration to make public transport integrated, attractive and easier to use. An effective, efficient and reliable smart ticketing system is a key element of achieving this aim.”


* ITSO is an organisation, which has set about creating a common specification and suitable standards between UK Passenger Transport Authorities for inter-operable smart card ticketing.