Card glitch 'another deterrent' to using Metro
NexusA rail payment card system glitch preventing users topping up their accounts since Friday is "yet another deterrent" to using local trains, a passenger group has said.
Some using Pop cards via Google Pay on the Tyne and Wear Metro have not been able to add funds, leaving them unable to use them to travel.
Nexus' head of ICT, Steve Duchar, said on Monday it was working with its supplier but had no date for when the errors would be fixed. The company confirmed on Tuesday the issue had been resolved.
Alistair Ford, of the North East Public Transport Users Group, said Nexus' pay-and-go top-up system was old-fashioned and frustrating and he called for "serious investment" to update payment systems.
He said: "If London can accept bank cards and Google or Apple payments with the same fare capping, why not the Tyne and Wear Metro?
"Issues like these are yet another deterrent for people to travel by Metro or local train."
The Google wallet issue left some unable to top up funds on their account and, in some cases, people have seen money leave their bank account but then not register on the balance of their card.
A separate issue on Monday morning left some passengers unable to pay for tickets at all as a number of ticket machines were offline.
Duchar said those affected were authorised to travel by the Metro control room but had to pay at the end of their journeys.
Services were also disrupted due to a power trip at South Gosforth causing a problems across part of the network on Friday night.
That was followed by a series of suspensions on Sunday due to fallen trees during Storm Boelo.
A section of the yellow line between Monkseaton and St James has also been closed since Satuday as part of a nine-day planned closure for track renewal works.
