Oyster style travel card rolled out across Hampshire (From Daily Echo)

Multi-million pound 'green' transport award for Hampshire's own Oyster cards

6:16pm Wednesday 27th June 2012 in News

A NEW 'Oyster' style travel card is set to be rolled out across Hampshire after the region bagged a multi-million pound green transport grant.

Transport for South Hampshire (TfSH) has been successful in its bid to the Department for Transport for £18 million of funding from the Local Sustainable Transport Fund. The partnership is one of only two bidders, nationally, to have been awarded the full value of their bid.

TfSH is a partnership between Hampshire County Council, Isle of Wight Council, Southampton City Council and Portsmouth City Council covering the Solent area..

The Government cash will fund travel improvements to tackle congestion and support economic growth in South Hampshire. It will contribute to an overall £31 million package of measures to increase the number of people travelling on foot, by bicycle, bus or rail and, in doing so, reduce overall traffic congestion. The balance of funding is to be generated from developer contributions and support from local bus operators, who will be working in partnership with TfSH to deliver smart ticketing.

The money will be used to funda smart ticket for bus and ferry travel in South Hampshire; ‘Travel Choice’ initiatives aimed at encouraging more people to use alternative ways to travel over the car, including walking and cycling, which will save them both time and money; provision of Real Time Passenger Information providing up to the minute details of expected arrival times for public transport; bus priority schemes and cycling and walking initiatives such as off-road dedicated cycle ways.