Passengers using c2c services in South Essex will soon be able to make contactless payments at their local stations.

The key project, which is close to completion, will offer greater ticketing choice and increased flexibility as customers will be able to make use of the contactless pay-as-you-go ticket option.

The Department of Transport (DfT) announced in July that c2c would be one of the five operators to introduce contactless payments at 53 additional National Rail stations in the South East.

This ‘tap in and tap out’ payment method is already available to travellers in the London pay-as-you-go area, taking in stations as far east as Upminster and Grays.  By the end of the year, the remaining 15 c2c stations will accept contactless payments.

This work is part of phase one of the Government initiative to extend the contactless pay-as-you-go area.  The Secretary and State for Transport made a commitment to make ticketing simpler and more flexible across the network.

c2c Managing Director, Rob Mullen, said: “Our work to introduce contactless pay as you go at all c2c stations across the network is nearing completion as we enter the final stages of rigorous technical and operational testing. We are working closely with our digital partners to ensure that all ticket and card readers fitted to barriers at stations are configured and ready to accept contactless pay as you go, and with our retail teams to get the required changes to payment systems in place.

“We know that customers have recently experienced issues with the c2c app, purchasing smartcards and at our ticket machines, and while we have worked hard to fix these issues as quickly as possible, we know this isn’t good enough. Ensuring we have a reliable retail offering is of utmost importance, and as part of our ongoing commitment to making c2c a more attractive and comfortable railway for all, I believe that the introduction of contactless pay as you go across our entire network – giving customers greater choice, flexibility and simple and easy to understand ticketing and payment options – will make travelling with c2c better and easier than ever before.”