New smartcard bus ticket launched for East Lancashire

Lancashire County Council has introduced a new smartcard-based bus ticket which makes it easier to travel in and around East Lancashire. 

The AnyBus smartcard allows residents to buy one ticket and use it on services run by multiple operators, making journeys seamless and hassle-free.

The scheme covers Blackburn with Darwen, Burnley, Hyndburn, Pendle and Rossendale, as well as parts of the Ribble Valley, and can be used on a small number of services which cross into North Yorkshire, Chorley and South Ribble.

If passengers need to change buses to reach their destination, they can use the same ticket on the second leg, even if it’s with a different operator.

An AnyBus East Lancashire ticket will also allow them to travel with one bus operator one way and use a different operator for their return journey.

Lancashire County Council transport boss Cllr Warren Goldsworthy said: “The AnyBus smartcard opens the door to easier travel across your local area.

“Once you’ve registered and received your card, you only need to buy a single ticket to enjoy flexible journeys with multiple bus operators.

“There’s also an Under-19s AnyBus Smartcard, making travel more affordable for young people.

“This builds on the existing AnyBus schemes in Preston and the Fylde Coast, and reflects our ongoing commitment to expand multi-operator ticketing across Lancashire.”

The easiest way to get an AnyBus smartcard (including the Under 19s AnyBus smartcard) is to apply online where people can also purchase one-day, seven -day and 28-day tickets.

To buy tickets for your AnyBus smartcard online or using the AnyBus app, passengers will need to register on the AnyBus portal and link their card.

Tickets purchased online can be loaded onto the card by tapping it on the ticket machine when boarding the first bus you travel on, or by using the AnyBus app available for Android and iPhone to transfer the ticket to the card.

If passengers  already have an AnyBus, Stagecoach or Transdev smartcard, they can also ask the bus driver for a one-day or seven-day ticket.

The AnyBus East Lancashire scheme is supported by funding from the government via Lancashire County Council’s Bus Service Improvement Plan, from which the authority has secured £41.9million  in partnership with Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council.