Wirral launch of electronic Saveaway marks start of Merseytravel's 'Walrus' smart ticketing scheme

PEOPLE on Wirral will be the 1st to be able to buy an electronic Saveaway as it replaces the scratch off ticket in the borough from Monday, 24 November 2014, becoming the 1st product on the Walrus smartcard.  Smart Saveaways, which cover off peak day travel on bus, trains and the Mersey Ferries, will be available at around 190 PayPoint outlets in Wirral as well as the Birkenhead travel centre.   They will be loaded on to a free Walrus smartcard, which people will be encouraged to keep safe and re-use every time they buy a Saveaway as there will be a £1 activation charge for all new cards from April 2015. 

The smart Saveaway is being rolled out in 1 borough 1st, so any unforeseen issues can be identified and put right before they are made available across the rest of Merseyside, by the end of March 2015.  Though the smart Saveaways are being launched in Wirral, travel will not be restricted to within the borough.

There is no change to where the Saveaways can be used as long as the right 1 is purchased to cover the customer's area of travel. On launch, smart Saveaways will be available for on the day travel only, but the opportunity for customers to load multiple Saveaways on the card for future use is being explored.

Cllr Liam Robinson, Chair of Merseytravel said:- "This is an exciting milestone. This electronic Saveaway marks just the start of our smart ticketing journey which will be focussed on giving public transport users convenience, choice and flexibility in when and how they purchase travel. We sold around three million Saveaways last year so it's quite overwhelming to imagine that in just a few months we could be one of the top regions outside London in terms of smart ticketing transactions. We're currently working on a broader ticketing strategy, with operators, which will set out what Merseyside's smart ticketing future will look like and will guide where we go next."

As not all current Saveaway retailers will have the facility to retail smart Saveaways, there will be a phasing out of scratch off Saveaway tickets at these outlets from the time the scheme is introduced in each area.  Smart Saveaways will not be available from rail stations, but people will still be able to purchase rail ticket style Saveaways. A ticketing strategy is being developed to set out the focus and next steps in Merseyside's smart ticketing journey. It follows a ticketing review which has looked afresh at Merseytravel's suite of ticketing products, many of which have been around for 30 years, to ensure that ticketing options best meet the needs of the modern traveller. This has included looking at the overall price structure and zoning system.  For more information, including FAQs and the nearest place to buy your smart Saveaway, visit:- MerseyTravel.Gov.UK.

St Faith's Christmas Craft Market will be in Crosby - very soon!!!

ON Saturday, 29 November 2014, St Faith's Christmas Craft Market will be held at the Church Hall, on Crosby Road North, Crosby, Merseyside (L22 4QQ. The event will have loads of stalls and also have 2 children's book author, selling and signing books! Jessica Parish, from St. Helens, will be signing her book:- "Pugalugs – The Beginning", a short illustrated story about a little pug puppy called:- 'Pugalugs'. Along with Jessica, the illustrator and author Helen Poole, who is from Crosby, signing her book:– "Clara's Crazy Curls." 'Pugalugs' himself (the actual dog the story was based on) will also be there! Jessica told us in an email to us that:- "I am excited to announce that Pugalugs has its very own stall at this year's St Faiths Christmas Craft Market. I will be there to sign and personalize every book sold, and Pugalugs will also be on hand to 'autograph' his very own book and 'shake paws' with all of his fans. There will be a free slice of 'Pugalugs' cake available on a 1st come 1st served basis. It's set to be a great event with plenty of other hand-made crafts on sale, excellent for picking up a few early stocking fillers! A massive thanks to Helen Poole, who has not only created this fab flier, but is the illustrator and designer behind the 'Pugalugs' series! She is a truly talented illustrator who has captured the spirit of Pugalugs and brought his character to life. Without her, the book would not have been possible. Helen will also be running a stall on the day, signing copies of her own children's book, 'Clara's Crazy Curls'; a delightful children's story which has already sold in excess of 8000 copies! She will also be taking orders for her amazing bespoke family illustrations which make a lovely gift. Come along and get into the Christmas spirit and meet the actual authors of 2 popular children's books." Please click on here to get a copy of the events flyer. If you can, please print it off and put it up at your work place!