Flintshire Council has raised serious concerns about a new pay-as-you-go ticketing system being rolled out by Transport for Wales, warning that passengers could end up paying more than they should every time they tap in and out.
The council says the system, which works similarly to the contactless payment setup used on London’s Tube network, is currently charging every single user the standard adult fare regardless of their age or entitlement to discounted travel. That means children, older people, and anyone with a concessionary pass could be getting stung with the wrong fare without even realising it.
It is the kind of thing that sounds like a minor technical glitch, but for families and people on fixed incomes who rely on the train regularly, the costs can quietly add up to a significant amount over weeks and months.
Flintshire councillors flagged the issue as part of their scrutiny of regional transport developments, putting pressure on Transport for Wales to address the problem before the scheme expands further. The council wants clarity on how the operator plans to fix the flaw and, crucially, whether anyone who has already been overcharged will be reimbursed.
Transport for Wales has been pushing the pay-as-you-go model as a modern, convenient alternative to buying paper tickets or pre-loading travel cards. The idea is straightforward enough. Passengers tap a contactless bank card or device when they board and again when they get off, and the correct fare is automatically calculated based on the journey taken. No queuing at machines, no fumbling for cash, no worrying about whether you bought the right ticket.
In theory it should make travelling by train simpler, especially for people who commute regularly or make spontaneous trips without wanting to plan ahead. But the council’s warning suggests the reality is not quite matching the promise, at least not yet.
The issue is particularly relevant in north Wales, where Transport for Wales has been gradually introducing the contactless system across stations. Flintshire sits in a part of Wales where cross-border travel into England is common, and many residents depend on rail services for work, education, and accessing services that are not available locally.
For a parent travelling with children, being charged adult fares across the board could make what should be an affordable family trip considerably more expensive. For older residents who hold bus passes or rail concessions, the expectation is always that their discount will be recognised and applied automatically. Finding out later that it was not is both frustrating and, depending on how often they travel, potentially costly.
The council has not suggested the overcharging is deliberate, but the concern is that passengers may not notice it is happening. Unlike buying a ticket at a machine where the price is visible before you commit, pay-as-you-go charges often only show up on a bank statement after the fact. Many people simply will not check.
Transport for Wales has faced scrutiny on a number of fronts in recent years, from reliability issues to the pace of rolling stock improvements. The pay-as-you-go rollout was meant to be a positive step forward, a sign that the operator was modernising and making the network more accessible. The concerns raised by Flintshire suggest there is still work to do before the system is genuinely ready for all passengers.
The Welsh Government, which oversees Transport for Wales through its public service contract, will likely be watching how the operator responds to the council’s concerns. Getting the fare system right is not just about technology. It is about trust, and making sure that people who choose to use the train are not penalised for doing so.