MPTE Walrus Smart Card

[wirralbus]

RE: MPTE Walrus Smart Card

(26/05/2014 03:40)R557 ABA Wrote:  I don't have an awful lot of time to go into detail but... It has been confirmed that the Wirral will be the first place the Walrus will be rolled out including up to Ellesmere Port & Chester on Merseyrail. Starting with the replacement of scratch off and paper Saveaways to the smartcard version near October 2014. Shops, libraries and travel centres gaining readers to load them with products. The entire roll out of Walrus looks set to continue throughout 2015 and possibly into early 2016.

Cor Blimey it seems to have taken an eternity to introduce these smart cards , how long have they been on the cards now .

[R557 ABA]

RE: MPTE Walrus Smart Card
A month later than planned, the Walrus is finally arriving - firstly on the Wirral from the 24th November 2014!

More on the Merseytravel website, http://www.merseytravel.gov.uk/about-us/...rt%27.aspx

[wirralbus]

RE: MPTE Walrus Smart Card
But if you read between the lines at the moment the scratch off version is the saveaway that is going to be replaced by the smartcard version.

The version of Saveaway issued at Railway Station will remain for a while yet , but im sure once the stations get readers they will soon change over as well.

Is this though a precursor to the announcement by the Government and the local bus companies of Northern England embracing smart card technology.

[V671 DVU]

RE: MPTE Walrus Smart Card
It says they've been on sale for 40 years. If it ain't broke, don't fix it? Saveaway's have worked perfectly fine for years and this just seems like a load of statistics put together and no common sense used what so ever. Is the only way you can pay onto this via credit card?

[R557 ABA]

RE: MPTE Walrus Smart Card

(03/11/2014 17:50)V671 DVU Wrote:  It says they've been on sale for 40 years. If it ain't broke, don't fix it? Saveaway's have worked perfectly fine for years and this just seems like a load of statistics put together and no common sense used what so ever. Is the only way you can pay onto this via credit card?

Personally I'm all for the idea having sampled other smartcard schemes around the world. To buy a Saveaway you'd just go to a newsagents or corner shop that has PayPoint to top it up.

[V671 DVU]

RE: MPTE Walrus Smart Card
Ahhh right so it's similar to how a gas card works then? That does make it more simple I must admit.

[wirralbus]

RE: MPTE Walrus Smart Card

(03/11/2014 18:31)V671 DVU Wrote:  Ahhh right so it's similar to how a gas card works then? That does make it more simple I must admit.

Will be made even easier when the railway stations are included in the top scheme for these cards eventually .

[R879 HRF]

RE: MPTE Walrus Smart Card
Reduces fraud too, so many times I've seen people scratch off multiple dates and cover them with their fingers so that the correct date is shown... I like the idea of scratch off saveaway, handy to keep a few in the cupboard, but I suppose this is just as easy!

[Penny Return]

RE: MPTE Walrus Smart Card

(05/11/2014 14:30)R879 HRF Wrote:  Reduces fraud too, so many times I've seen people scratch off multiple dates and cover them with their fingers so that the correct date is shown... I like the idea of scratch off saveaway, handy to keep a few in the cupboard, but I suppose this is just as easy!

And the people who board a bus without anything scratched off a savaway holding everyone up

[R557 ABA]

RE: MPTE Walrus Smart Card
Finally bought my first "Smart Saveaway" this morning and got a snazzy little plastic wallet to go with it being the first customer, however I won't be using it until I've finished work later on. I'll report back with my findings after a little run around the Wirral this evening, however I hope to put the pass through its paces throughout Merseyside on Saturday all being well.