Orange rail tickets could become extinct within half a decade, the region's biggest train operator claims. Northern says the tickets, which contain a magnetic stripe, are likely to be 'something of a museum exhibit' in as little as five years.
The firm says that travelllers' growing preference for digital tickets and the introduction of actual 'paper' tickets has seen them issue 2.3 million fewer 'magstripes' in the last 12 months.
Less than 20 percent of journeys on Northern trains in 2023-24 were made using a 'magstripe', a fall of 12pc compared to 2022-23, from 20.3 million to 18 million.
READ MORE: Jet2 issues warning for people travelling to Manchester Airport as ‘delays are expected’ READ MORE: Police close Heaton Moor Road in Stockport near railway station as services disrupted after person hit by train - latest updates Whilst during the same period, the number of people using digital tickets on Northern services grew by almost 19pc, from 54.8 million to 65.2 million.
Read more on manchestereveningnews.co.uk