Yeah, that is my understanding of it. I'm really looking forward to queueing every morning to get through the barriers whilst the staff have a plethora of different tickets to deal with.
Nexus have failed bigtime with this, any smartcard system should have been integrated with all operators in the area adopting the same system. Now we have a mish-mash of cards and a popular, integrated ticket, that is going to inconvenience the ticket holder.
Exactly! I mentioned it earlier in the thread, but I thought Nexus should have had a slow run up, with all companies working behind the scenes to get everything smart and ready, including installation of ticket barriers/validators, all ticketing companies becoming smart and having train companies (like northern) on board too. Then a huge advertising campaign by Nexus telling people to switch to a smart ticket, with people then having 6 months to change to a smart ticket. All travelshops would have the required software to switch products, for example Gold Card users. People will have to hand in their tickets and in return be given a small slip of paper which will display what ticket was held and that this slip of paper is the person's ticket for the next month - it shouldn't take more than a month to make a Pop card and then post it. The barriers/validators would have been switched on 3 months in to make more people aware they need to have a smart pass. Once the 6 months are up, people must touch in/out but seasonal/weekly passes would not be fined if they forget to touch in/out at a validator. Another 6 months would pass and everyone would have to touch in/out, annual/weekly pass holders would not be penalised if they did forget but would be told to remember to touch in/out. Pay-As-You-Go cards would also become available.
To summarise in a monthly order:
Prior to public needing to do anything: Nexus talk to all relevant companies, e.g. Northern, Network One, etc. to make all companies get equipment to read/create smart tickets. Once all companies are ready, the following would happen.
Months 1 -3: Huge advertising campaign to tell people to switch to a smart ticket. Smart ticketing becomes available.
Months 3-6: Barriers/Validators switched on to the public (already tested), no requirement to touch in/out but you should. Huge advertising campaign to tell people. Staff at stations to tell people what to do - like the ticket machines.
Months 6-12: People must touch in/out, but people would not be penalised.
Months 12+: Pay-As-You-Go becomes available, all passengers must touch in/out. All passengers would be penalised if they forgot to touch in/out but any appeal by those with weekly/annual/monthly passes would not have to pay the fine.
Quick question: Will staff have something other than their phones to check if people have validated? Right now, the phone app simply says what ticket people have.