MCard smartcard top-ups now available at 38 West Yorkshire rail stations

West Yorkshire Combined Authority, in partnership with Northern Rail, has updated ticket vending machines to enable passengers to top up MCard smartcards for weekly and monthly rail and bus travel.

Clearly identifiable by the MCard logo, the machines can be used to top up Pink MCards with a Bus & Rail weekly or monthly ticket covering Zones 1-3, 1-4, 1-5, or 2-5. They can also be used to add weekly or monthly Bus & Rail tickets to 16-18 PhotoCards, Scholars PhotoCards, 16-25/Mature MCards and Young Person's PhotoCards.

Stations where ticket vending machines can be used for MCard top ups are:
Apperley Bridge, Batley, Ben Rhydding, Bingley, Bradford Forster Square, Bradford Interchange, Burley in Wharfedale, Burley Park, Castleford, Crossflatts, Crossgates, East Garforth, Fitzwilliam, Frizinghall, Garforth, Guiseley, Halifax, Headingley, Hebden Bridge, Horsforth, Ilkley, Keighley, Leeds, Menston, Moorthorpe, Mytholmroyd, New Pudsey, Normanton, Saltaire, Sandal & Agbrigg, Shipley, Staithwaite, South Elmsall, Sowerby Bridge, Steeton & Silsden, Todmorden, Wakefield Kirkgate and Woodlesford.

Cllr Keith Wakefield, Chair of West Yorkshire Combined Authority's Transport Committee said:�"MCard is already making bus and train travel more convenient for people across West Yorkshire and because it can be used on any company's services can help people save money and avoid having to wait for the 'right' bus to come along.

"Making MCard more convenient by enabling passengers to top up at stations across the West Yorkshire rail network is just the latest development in West Yorkshire Combined Authority's smart travel scheme. Next month we will introducing a money-saving carnet ticket - the modern-day smart version of a 'Saver Strip' - for bus travel and further ahead we will be rolling out online top ups with a pilot scheme to enable people to us their mobile phone as a smartcard being planned.

"We are also working with other Train Operating Companies to upgrade ticket vending machines for smartcard use at Dewsbury, Huddersfield and Wakefield Westgate stations as part of the ongoing roll out of MCard."

Richard Allan, Commercial Director for Northern Rail said:�"This latest upgrade will make it quicker and easier for our customers in West Yorkshire to travel seamlessly around the rail network. Smart innovation such as this is another part of our ambition to modernise the way we sell travel to our customers."

MCards can be used for pre-paid travel on scheduled bus and rail services in West Yorkshire. There are currently around 100,000 MCard holders making it the largest travel smartcard system outside London. Over 1.1 million smartcard transactions take place weekly on West Yorkshire's buses and trains. Ninety-five percent of West Yorkshire's buses have smartcards readers and there are smart ticket gates at Leeds and Huddersfield stations and Bradford Interchange.

Northern Rail's ticket machines are made by two different suppliers, so the process for topping up a smartcard differs slightly, but passengers can follow the simple instructions on the screen.
Find out more on the MCard website.

Fiona Fletcher, Managing Director for Fare Collection Systems at Scheidt &�Bachmann UK Ltd said: �We were proud to be a part of the latest rollout phase of the MCard project.

"Following the successful upgrade of the gates at both Leeds and Bradford,enabling ITSO on the TVMs was the next logical step.

�With these new functionalities passengers are now able to view and instantly top-up their MCard with smart products at the station, or via other channels such as the web, Payzoneoutlets and Bus Travel Centres.�

In a statement Parkeon said: �The vision of a smart, customer-focused transport network is becoming a reality in West Yorkshire, thanks to the partnership between Northern Rail and Parkeon involving the enabling of ITSO mCARD fulfilment capability on to 30 of Parkeon�s ticket vending machines.

"This means that a number of products, including weekly and monthly period passes, can now be topped up easily at the station � further enhancing the customer experience for rail travel.�

The Combined Authority is asking people to use the feedback form on the Metro website to report any difficulties they encounter topping up their MCard at rail station ticket Vending Machines, so that its MCard team can follow up and rectify the situation.

Rail Station ticket vending machines do not issue PhotoCards but passengers can apply for one on the MCard website, at a Bus Station Travel Centre (Metro website) or buy a pink MCard from one of over 700 Payzone outlets (Payzone website).�