"Stansted and Southend were both supposed to start rolling out tap-in-tap-out tech from December 14 alongside 48 other stations in the southeast of England. The move would have meant that people would no longer face fines of up to £100 at Stansted Airport for not realising that they couldn't use contactless payment for Stansted Express like they can across the rest of London (though there are big red signs at Liverpool Street and Tottenham Hale stations warning you)."
"Greater Anglia said that during testing for the technology, issues arose that could have affected the price paid and prevented the technology from working as intended. Contactless fares have to be fully integrated into Transport for London's fare system in order for the machines to work properly, but this hasn't been done in time for the initially planned rollout. The train operator said that 'additional work is required to ensure this integration is seamless and delivers a reliable experience for customers'."
Contactless tap-in-tap-out rollout at Stansted and Southend has been postponed until summer 2026. Stansted and Southend were due to join 48 other southeast stations from December 14, which would have removed fines of up to £100 for passengers using Stansted Express without a contactless option. Greater Anglia will still add 30 stations next week, but 20 stations including Stansted and Southend will wait. Testing revealed issues that could affect the price charged and prevent correct operation. Contactless fares require full integration with Transport for London's fare system, which is not ready. Additional work is required to ensure seamless integration and reliable customer experience.
Read at Time Out London
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