What discussions has the Welsh Government had with the UK Government regarding the adoption of Transport for Wales's tap & go service on future Great British Railways services in Wales?
Welsh Government is committed to growing PAYG (Pay-As-You-Go – TfW’s ‘tap-on tap-off’ payment system) as an affordable and easy to use method of paying for train travel in North and South Wales. GWR (Great Western Railway) is controlled by the UK Government via the DfT and they have the final decision on GWR’s involvement within the PAYG scheme.
During introduction of PAYG in South Wales, TfW engaged with both CrossCountry and GWR. CrossCountry were able to participate in PAYG from the start, but discussions are still ongoing with GWR. Whilst the current unavailability of PAYG on GWR trains is frustrating for passengers, TfW has made encouraging progress with both GWR and DfT which it is hoped will enable GWR to accept PAYG in the near future.
Both Welsh Government and TfW are in discussion with UK government regarding the future establishment of Great British Rail to ensure the best outcomes for Wales. These discussions cover a wide range of subjects including ticketing and the further development of PAYG.