A rail ticketing rule which has seen tens of thousands of people fined after travelling by train from London to Stansted airport will be axed next month.
The Department for Transport (DfT) said the airport’s railway station will be one of 50 across South East England to accept Contactless bank card payments from December 14.
However, the airport will remain outside of TfL’s Oyster card network, which is largely confined to stations within Greater London.
Stations included in the latest expansion of the Contactless roll-out are served by Greater Anglia, Chiltern, Great Northern, Southern and Thameslink.
Many Stansted Express passengers travelling from central London have been hit by £100 fines because Contactless has not previously been permitted.
Passengers can use ticket barriers at Liverpool Street and Tottenham Hale stations and board a train to the airport by tapping their Contactless cards, but are prohibited from tapping out at the end of their journey.
In recent years, Stansted Express operator Greater Anglia – which was nationalised last month – has regularly deployed teams of ticket inspectors at the airport.
Watchdog London TravelWatch estimated in 2019 that 16,000 Stansted Express travellers per year were being fined for trying to pay with Contactless or Oyster cards.
A London TravelWatch spokesperson welcomed the decision to end the “unfair” ban on contactless payments for travel to and from London.
She said: “Passengers still need to be savvy to avoid paying over the odds, and the rail industry has got be super-clear in communicating the changes.
“Oyster cards won’t count as Contactless cards and will still not be valid at Stansted Airport Station.”
Southend airport’s station will also accept contactless payments from December 14, meaning passengers will be able to use the technology to pay for train travel from London to all airports serving the capital.
Contactless cards can be used to reach Luton and Gatwick airports, while Heathrow and London City are also within the Oyster card network.
Despite Contactless cards being accepted between London and Stansted, they will still not be permitted for journeys between Cambridge and the airport.
Stations introducing Contactless ticketing from December 14
Ashtead
Aylesbury
Aylesbury Vale Parkway
Baldock
Beaulieu Park
Billericay
Bishop’s Stortford
Box Hill & Westhumble
Chelmsford
Dorking (Main)
Dormans
East Grinstead
Great Missenden
Harlington
Harlow Mill
Harlow Town
Hatfield Peverel
Hitchin
Hockley
Hurst Green
Ingatestone
Knebworth
Leagrave
Leatherhead
Letchworth Garden City
Lingfield
Little Kimble
Luton
Monks Risborough
Oxted
Princes Risborough
Prittlewell
Rayleigh
Reigate
Rochford
Roydon
Saunderton
Sawbridgeworth
Southend Airport
Southend Victoria
Stansted Airport
Stansted Mountfitchet
Stevenage
Stoke Mandeville
Watton-at-Stone
Welwyn North
Wendover
Wickford
Witham
Woldingham
Rail minister Lord Hendy said: “Rail ticketing is far too complicated and long overdue an upgrade to bring it into the 21st century.
“Through the expansion of tap-in tap-out technology, and shortly through GBR (Great British Railways), we’re doing just that and making buying tickets more convenient, more accessible and more flexible – and ensuring passengers can get the best fares.
“As part of our Plan for Change, we’re delivering straightforward, stress-free train travel across the South East, supporting passengers and boosting economic growth, jobs and homes.”
This expansion of contactless ticketing in the South East received £18.7 million of Government funding, as well as support from Transport for London.
Busy commuter stations included in the latest tranche include Bishop’s Stortford, Harlow Town, Stevenage, Chelmsford and Southend Victoria.
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