Mixed views over ‘cashless’ trial

Passengers have expressed mixed views on whether bus travel should be ‘cashless’ following a scheme, launched in Kent by Stagecoach South East, to encourage contactless payments.

Adult single fares on Stagecoach services 12 and 17, which run between Canterbury and Deal, will only be on sale for those using the operator’s bus app or making a contactless payment.

A spokesperson for Stagecoach South East said most customers already used cashless methods to help ‘make boarding times quicker and the journey experience hassle-free’.

One bus passenger, however, said she preferred using cash, and sometimes she had problems using the app on her phone.