Silviya Barrett, from Campaign for Better Transport, said: “Making public transport easier to use is one of the most effective ways to attract more people on board.
“Expanding Digital Pay As You Go is a welcome step towards a simpler, more seamless railway, making it easier for passengers to get the best fare without navigating a complex ticketing system.”
However, rail expert Sim Harris, from Railnews, feared it would “divide people into two classes”.
“The majority who have mobile phones are willing to download an app and can get on with it, and the minority who possibly don’t even have a smartphone, or are not familiar with the technology, won’t be able to use it,” he said.
Harris also pointed out problems that could occur if a mobile phone ran out of battery before the journey ended.
“It all relies on rather fragile technology and although I understand why and I do applaud the principle of making fares easier to understand and making it easier to travel by train, I’m not convinced by this as it stands at the moment,” he added.
“I think a smart card is better, which doesn’t involve an app, it doesn’t involve GPS.
“You don’t have to be particularly smart, savvy, you don’t need a mobile phone.”
