Metrolink warns of issues across network as card readers at 'most ticket machines' go down

There's problems on the Metrolink this morning after the card readers at 'most ticket machines' went down. The live departure boards are also not working, Metrolink said, while the customer service phones are also down due to a 'technical issue'.

Ticket machines are still accepting cash. Services are still operating as normal.

It's not clear if the 'tap-in' machines are affected by the problems.

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Metrolink tweeted: "Due to a technical issue, the card readers at most ticket machines on the network are currently not working. Also, the live tram times and Metrolink customer services phone lines are currently down.

"Metrolink services are still operating as normal."

Yesterday the Manchester Evening News reported how in six months alone almost 500,000 Metrolink passengers forget to 'tap out' at the end of their journeys using the contactless payment. In a response to a Freedom of Information request, Transport for Greatyer Manchester revealed that from October 2022 to March 2023, there were 469,370 incomplete journeys, costing passengers £4.60 each time – even if they have reached the daily cap.

That means almost 8 per cent of all contactless journeys - which make up nearly a third of all tram trips in total - are incomplete journeys.

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