A pioneering travel smart card developed by Cumbria County Council, in partnership with three other authorities in the North West, is in the running to pick up a top national award for innovation.
The NoWcard scheme, which was the first of its type in England, has been shortlisted for a prize at the UK Bus Awards 2008 –Britain’s premier public transport awards scheme.
Set up by Cumbria and Lancashire county councils in conjunction with Blackburn with Darwen and Blackpool councils, the smart card scheme - which is for concessionary passengers who are aged over 60 or disabled –has been shortlisted in the Innovation category.
The shortlist for the awards was announced today (Tuesday September 23) and the final will take place in London on November 18.
Cllr Alan Clark, Cumbria County Council’s cabinet member responsible for transport, said: "The NoWcard is a highly innovative and easy to use scheme for concessionary bus passengers across Cumbria and Lancashire.
"Being shortlisted in the UK Bus Awards is a reflection of how successful it is and this recognition is fully deserved."
The NoWcard scheme, which was launched in 2003, provides a simple way for entitled people in Cumbria and Lancashire to get their free concession, and around 75,000 of the 300,000 NoWcards have been issued to Cumbrian residents.
When first launched it was designed as a smart bus pass, but the early NoWcards have now been re-issued as English National Concession Travel Passes.
Within each card is a small microchip that can be read by smart ticket machines on local bus services, allowing the bus service operator and the local authority to account accurately for concessionary fares.
NoW cards can already be read electronically on 1,400 buses in the North West –350 of which are in Cumbria. The NoWcard partnership funded much of the cost of this system, including contributions towards enabling the smart ticket machines.
More than 160 nominations were made in the UK Bus Awards 19 categories covering a wide range of disciplines from innovation and marketing to customer service.
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