The Key (smartcard)

The Key is a contactless smartcard that is being progressively introduced to replace paper ticketing in public transport in Britain. It stores electronic tickets for use on bus and rail services in the United Kingdom, mainly those operated by the Go-Ahead Group.

The Key is an ITSO compatible smartcard, ITSO being the UK Department for Transport’s chosen standard for interoperable contactless ticketing.[1] It is also the format that ENCTS concessionary passes are required to be issued in. All Go-Ahead bus services which accept The Key also process ENCTS cards electronically.

The Key brand is owned and operated by the Go-Ahead Group. The Key is available to customers on the majority of the deregulated bus services operated by Go-Ahead Group in towns and cities across England.

In addition, Govia train operating companies Southern, Govia Thameslink Railway and London Midland train operators introduced The Key as a new smart ticketing system on a phased basis across a series of routes and stations since 2010.

The London Oyster card system was not originally compatible with ITSO.[2] ITSO cards can now be used on Oyster card readers.[3]

Bus and rail operators accepting The Key

As of 21 January 2013, the position is:

Full range of ticket types means that tickets can be purchased for single rides, daily, weekly, monthly and season tickets.

Mode of TransportRegionIntroductionZonesAccepting
transport operators		Ticket typesComments
BusBournemouth and DorsetJanuary 20127Wilts & Dorset
Full range		Zonal coverage includes overlap with Bluestar Buses
BusBrighton & HoveSeptember 2011SingleBrighton & HoveFull rangeCurrently or previously did include local operators Compass Travel and The Big Lemon.
BusCrawley and Surrey, Sussex and Kent regionJanuary 20124Metrobus
Full range
BusIsle of WightApril 2012SingleSouthern Vectis
Full Range
BusNewcastle, Sunderland and North East regionJuly 2010 (pilot) April 2011 (full rollout)7Go North East
Full Range
BusOxford2007 Initial introduction, converted to ITSO in October 2010
August 2011, Oxford SmartZone launched adding Stagecoach		3Oxford Bus Company
Brookes Buses
Thames Travel
Stagecoach		Full rangeCityzone does not cover Stagecoach buses
BusPlymouthAugust 20112Plymouth CitybusFull range
BusSouthampton and HampshireJanuary 20127Unilink
Bluestar Buses		Full range
Full range		Zonal coverage includes overlap with More Buses / Salisbury Reds (Wilts and Dorset)
RailBirmingham - the West Midlands Rail FranchiseFebruary 2010n/aLondon MidlandLimited range
RailSussex - the South Central Rail FranchiseOctober 2011n/aSouthern & Gatwick Express
Limited Range		Extending to full network coverage by late 2013, including integration with Transport for London's Oyster card scheme
RailSouth East England?n/aGovia Thameslink Railway
Limited Range
RailSouth East EnglandDecember 2016n/aSoutheasternFull Range

Statistics

The Key has now been issued to 300,000 customers and is used for over 100,000 journeys per day.[4]

See also

References
  1. dft.gov.uk | Commercial Review of ITSO Limited, 2009
  2. "ITSO Oyster Interoperability – Closing down the technical work packages". Department for Transport. 14 July 2006. Archived from the original on 5 November 2008. Retrieved 14 November 2011.
  3. "SPENDING REVIEW 2010" (PDF). TRANSPORT FOR LONDON. 4 November 2010. Retrieved 14 November 2011.
  4. Go-Ahead Group website
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