Stagecoach was replacing the ticket machines on its buses across Swindon and the wider West region, Swindon24 reported on Saturday 1 August 2026. The older equipment was giving way to Ticketer TK300 devices.
What does it change for passengers?
- The machines send real-time location data to the Stagecoach Bus App, so services can be tracked more accurately.
- They scan QR codes.
- Stagecoach says ticket purchases will be quicker.
- The technology prepares the network for possible future features such as tap-on, tap-off fare capping.
For drivers, each machine can store hundreds of routes across several depots and has a built-in microphone and speaker for two-way contact with the depot.
Martin Gibbon, Managing Director of Stagecoach West, said: "Features like contactless payment are essential for new customers in the modern day."
To mark the change, Stagecoach West shared an archive picture of the Setright machine, the hand-cranked mechanical ticket machine carried by conductors and later drivers for decades. Mr Gibbon said "it is important that we remember our heritage of such iconic items as the ticket machine".
The report does not give a timetable for the rollout, the number of machines or the cost.
Source: Swindon24.
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