Solent Future Transport Zone, through its partnership with Unicard, has announced that it has become the first UK local authority to offer rail ticketing through its Breeze app.
Unicard LTD provides smart ticketing and payment solutions to the public and commercial transport sector.
Solent Transport was formed through a partnership between four local authorities: the Isle of Wight, Hampshire County, Portsmouth and Southampton.
The pair’s relationship dates back to 2021, when Solent Transport appointed Unicard as part of a consortium to develop a Mobility-as-a-Service- (MaaS-) powered app to improve regional transport options.
Sean Dickinson, CEO of Unicard, said: “The addition of rail accreditation to the Breeze app marks a significant milestone in our long-standing relationship with Solent Transport.
“Unicard works with local authorities throughout the UK to deliver smart ticketing solutions that meet with their changing transport requirements. On this occasion we were able to draw on our considerable experience and expertise in the rail sector”.
The Unicard suite was used to manage the data integrations and certifications required for the app to interface with the back-office systems of the Rail Delivery Group (RDG), the body responsible for selling and issuing the tickets.
What’s more, Unicard also supported Solent Transport to meet the standards needed for accreditation by RDG to qualify for the sale of rail tickets.
Conrad Haigh, Solent Transport manager at Solent Transport, said: “Solent is one of the UK’s designated FTZs. We have plans to transform access to public transport services in the region with the help of our new Breeze app, developed as a central part of FTZ programme”.
“We are now taking that vision a step further having achieved rail accreditation as an agent. Solent Transport is proud to deliver rail ticketing for a UK MaaS product, there is still more to come with new products been introduced to the app regularly, as we look to support customers in accessing all forms of transport and travel within our region. Unicard has played a key role in helping us to provide ticketing services that meet the needs of transport providers across the region.”
