Memorandum from Scheidt & Bachmann
(TPT 27)
Scheidt and Bachmann GmbH is a global provider
of intergrated and automated fares systems for public transport
services.
In the United Kingdom the company is a major
provider to the National Rail Passenger Franchise operators and
is currently delivering the DfT funded Yorkshire multi modal smartcard
ticketing programme Yorcard to the ITSO Standard.
Scheidt and Bachmann would wish to submit the
following response to the questions outlined by the Committee
and would welcome the opportunity to provide further information
based on both its UK and international experience.
For convenience, the Scheidt and Bachmann response
to the Call for Evidence has been summarised using the section
and paragraph headings and numbering that was used in the Call.
The response provided has been limited in order
to meet the request for six pages or less. Scheidt and Bachmann
GmbH accept that the information may be published and at this
stage have no contributions that it would consider confidential.
SECTION 1—INTEGRATED
TICKETING
1. Is ticketing sufficiently integrated across
different modes of transport and between different geographical
areas?
In Scheidt and Bachmann's opinion whilst there
are areas where ticketing is well integrated, notably in the major
cities where a PTE body manages the processes, integration between
modes is limited and the geographic integration is generally restricted
to defined areas with less "cross boundary" integration
than is ideal.
2. Does the Government have an adequate strategy
for developing the integration of ticketing systems?
Scheidt and Bachmann welcomes the Government's
clear interest in this very important topic and would express
the view that whilst the Government has a very clear vision of
the requirements and benefits that integrated ticketing systems
offer to the citizen the strategy remains to be completely defined.
An example of this would be the current call
for Expressions of Interest in the English Concession Card provision
which will take a very important step forward, especially if it
exploits the ITSO smartcard technology but is silent on multi
modal travel.
THE USE
OF SMARTCARD
TECHNOLOGIES
3. Is the industry taking up midern smartcard
technologies adequately and appropriately?
Scheidt and Bachmann's view would be that whilst
some areas, such as Scotland and Wales, have either implemented
or are proceeding to implement smartcard technology in a limited
way, only London, benefiting from its revenue risk and management
regime has demonstrated fully the benefits of the technology.
The area of most concern, especially in a national
context, is the passenger rail services which have only recently
started to consider how to implement the technology and that is
because the Department for Transport has mandated its use in new
franchises.
4. Does the ITSO system cater for the needs
of all passengers and travel providers?
Scheidt and Bachmann believe that the ITSO approach
has the capacity to cater for all the needs of all passengers
and travel providers and that over a period of time it can become
the basis of providing best value ticketing across all modes for
both citizens and transport service providers.
5. What can be learned from the experience
of areas such as London and Scotland where smartcard technology
is already in place?
It is Scheidt and Bachmann's view that the main
lesson that can be learnt from both of these schemes is that successful
implementation of integrated fares systems that use new technologies
requires clear and focused leadership from a single body.
In each case that has been identified, a single
body, the Scottish Executive or Transport for London has defined
the requirements clearly and contracted for them on behalf of
the transport service providers. This has meant the funding of
the programmes to ensure speedy and common adoption with the benefits
being derived in the longer term, and approach that public bodies
can take more easily than the private sector.
REVENUE PROTECTION
AND THE
POWERS OF
TICKET INSPECTORS
6. Is the legal framework within which ticket
inspectors function appropriate?
Scheidt and Bachmann view this as an operational
issue and would not wish to comment on it.
7. What appeal mechanisms exist for passengers,
and are they adequate?
Scheidt and Bachmann view this as an operational
issue and would not wish to comment on it.
8. Are the rights of passengers and the powers
of ticket inspectors well-balanced?
Scheidt and Bachmann view this as an operational
issue and would not wish to comment on it.
9. Do operators of public transport take
adequate measures to protect fares revenue?
Whilst Scheidt and Bachmann view this as an
operational issue and would not wish to comment on it directly
it should be noted that all of the transport service providers
in all modes make every effort to deliver a fair and open revenue
protection approach.
A common requirement when specification of integrated
fares systems are being planned is for the use of the technology
to assist in the delivery of revenue protection, both by providing
ticket inspectors with the appropriate tools to do the job and
by providing the passenger with every opportunity to pay for travel
through manned, self service and remote access sales points such
as the web.
CONCESSIONARY FARES—THE
RIGHT STRATEGY
10. Is the Government's concessionary fares
strategy, including the proposed scheme for concessionary bus
travel, adequate?
It is Scheidt and Bachmann's view that the vision
that is shown in the current Expression of Interest notice for
the English Concessionary Fares scheme clearly reflects the importance
that the Government places on the manner.
Scheidt and Bachmann feel that the approach
is the correct one, especially given the complex nature of the
relationships that must be accounted for but that the proposed
strategy currently lacks sufficient detail in the public domain
for a comment on its adequacy to be made.
Scheidt and Bachmann do believe that the strategy
implied in both the EoI and in the Transport Committee's enquiry
indicate that with sound and clear leadership from Government
and the exploitation of the ITSO technology and approach will
deliver a more that adequate strategy.
11. Are concessionary fares schemes sufficiently
integrated across different modes of transport and different geographical
areas?
At this point in time it is Scheidt and Bachmann's
view that whilst the intention is there to deliver integration
across modes and geographical areas the strategy remains to be
implemented to deliver this.
ADDITIONAL COMMENT
12. Integration of systems
Scheidt and Bachmann believe that there are
three areas which the Government should consider and provide leadership
on.
The first is to recognise that the implementation
of anew, full integrated multi modal and geographically broad
public transport ticketing solution will probably be delivered
over a period of time.
In order to achieve this a key planning effort
that Government can provide guidance on will be the intregration
in the short term of existing legacy system into a new solution
that uses modern technology. This will ensure continuity of services
whilst the new technology is fully deployed and will help to drive
down the cost of implementation by reducing the risks associated
with a "big bang" approach.
The second area where guidance can be given
is in the planning of new technology implementation. ITSO smartcards
represent a very major step forward in achieving a national integrated
ticketing solution which will provide passengers with a common
interfact and allow Authorities and transport providers to benefit
from an open and competitive supplier base.
Whilst encouraging the development and piloting
of new technologies such a Near Field Communication and Mobile
solutions, the guidance should ensure that the introduction of
the new concepts does not delay the implementation of the current
smartcard technology.
The third area where Government can provide
support and encouragement is in driving forward the implementation
of the programme that has already been funded to bring London
into the ITSO technological solution, thus ensuring that by 2010
the UK benefits from the single, open technology standard that
Government and private sector have co-operated on to deliver.
Manfred Feiter
Director Project and Application
6 March 2007
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