Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the economic benefits for the Midlands from the roll-out of smart ticketing as outlined in the Integrated Rail Plan.

This year’s spending review set aside £360 million investment to modernise industry ticketing and retailing systems. This includes an expansion of

pay-as-you-go travel on rail to more than 700 stations in urban areas across the country.

This investment will deliver significant benefits to passengers in the Midlands and other areas by making the process of paying for travel convenient and simple, removing the uncertainty from having to select a ticket in advance. It also frees up staff to support passengers, unlocking economic benefits as people have more flexibility in how they travel. Our assessment will be developed and refined as the project progresses to ensure that the full economic potential to the Midlands is realised.