Go North East is phasing out paper bus tickets

The region’s largest bus company, Go North East, is phasing out traditional weekly paper bus tickets after 100 years.

Go North East is asking bus users who currently buy its weekly paper tickets to swap over to a new, better, more convenient way to pay for their bus travel.

In the future passengers will need to load their weekly travel onto either a free Key smartcard – a plastic card that is topped up with credit – or buy tickets using a free app on their mobile phone.

Tickets for the Key smartcard can still be bought with cash on the bus or over the phone, online and in Go North East travel shops. The smartcards are re-usable and just need to be swiped over a machine when boarding the bus. They are quicker and more secure than paper tickets which can easily be lost or damaged.

Customers being asked to change are those who currently buy weekly paper tickets on all Go North East services.

Stephen King, sales and marketing manager, Go North East, said: “It’s quite a major milestone for us to be phasing out weekly paper tickets in our 100th year of operation. But we are always striving to innovate and improve our service.

“The vast majority of our customers already buy their weekly travel with a Key smartcard or on their mobile phones because it’s easier and cheaper. We are now doing all we can to ensure the remaining few who still buy weekly paper tickets swap over to the Key smartcard without any problems.”

Go North East has teamed up with Real Radio to help weekly paper ticket buyers easily change over to the new system. Real Radio’s DJ, Sibbers, is travelling on buses throughout April giving anyone who has a weekly paper ticket a free Key smartcard which is loaded with a week’s worth of travel. The card can then be used again and again by being topped up every week by the user.

A series of ‘Sibbers Swappage’ customer events will also be held at Gateshead Interchange, MetroCentre Interchange, Eldon Square Interchange and Washington Galleries Interchange throughout April. Listen out for more details on Real Radio.

Customers buying single journey tickets will still be able to purchase paper tickets on board Go North East’s buses.

Go North East is celebrating its centenary year having started operating buses in the region in 1913. It is the north east’s largest bus company, operating a fleet of nearly 700 buses and employing more than 2,100 people.

For more information call 0845 60 60 260, log on to www.simplygo.com or visit a Go North East travel shop at Metrocentre Interchange, Washington Galleries Interchange, Chester le Street on Front Street or North Shields on Bedford Street.