Statement from Andy Burnham re zonal ticketing on Metrolink.

I wanted to provide a more detailed explanation about the introduction of zonal ticketing on Metrolink.

Firstly, it has been introduced at the same time as the planned annual Metrolink fare rise which would have happened whether we had moved to zonal or not. 

Secondly, some parts of Metrolink have historically had lower fares than the rest and, in the interests of fairness, they have been brought up into alignment as part of the change. As a result, it is true that some people have seen rises in their ticket prices. 

However, TfGM have calculated that, as a result of zonal, four out of every five journeys on Metrolink are cheaper than they would otherwise have been. And the crucial point is that everyone now has the chance to get more for their money through unlimited journeys between stops within the zones you have selected. 

I have also been asked why some stops have ended up in the zone they are in. This has been worked out based on distance and time taken to travel, along with other local factors. We also asked people across Greater Manchester for their views on the new zones last summer and some changes were made based on this feedback.

So, taken everything into consideration, we believe zonal was the right thing to do as it has the potential to benefit everyone and takes us one step closer to the joined-up London-style transport network we all want to see. Later this year, we will be introducing contactless payment and we have 27 new trams on order arriving early in 2020 in time for the opening of the extension to the Trafford Centre. So we believe that Metrolink will continue to improve 

I hope this helps explain some of the background to zonal. To find out more about it visit: https://www.tfgm.com/public-transport/tram/ticket-zones

Article Published: 23/01/2019 12:14 PM