Airport rail passengers will no longer be fined for trying to pay by contactless

A rail ticketing rule which has resulted in tens of thousands of people being fined after travelling by train from London to Stansted airport will be axed next month.

The Department for Transport (DfT) announced that the Essex airport’s railway station will be one of 50 across South East England to accept contactless payments from December 14.

Many Stansted Express passengers travelling to the UK’s fourth busiest airport from central London have been hit by £100 fines because contactless has not previously been permitted.

Passengers are able to open 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 told the PA news agency: “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.

Despite contactless cards being accepted between London and Stansted, they will still not be permitted for journeys between Cambridge and the airport.

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.

Among other stations to benefit are Aylesbury, Chelmsford, Dorking (Main), Luton, Southend Victoria and Stevenage.