ZoneCard
Encyclopedia
ZoneCard is a travel card
issued by the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport
, formerly Strathclyde Passenger Transport in Scotland
.
D for Dumbarton
S for Strathkelvin
G for Glasgow
Y is possibly for Inverclyde, though a verifiable source of information can not be found.
R for Renfrew
K for Kilmarnock
A for Ayr
H for Hamilton
L for Lanark
which are further subdivided into zones dividing the main towns of the area for example Ayr
, Prestwick
and Troon
are in A1, A2 and A3 respectively
there are a total of 77 zones.If you hold a valid ticket for either G1 or G2, you are also able to travel within the shaded city centre area. If you hold a valid ticket for either G1 or G2 and wish to travel in an outer Glasgow zone (G3 to G8) a minimum of three zones is required. If you possess three Glasgow zones, you will have the freedom to travel in all Glasgow zones (G1 to G8). The city centre is served by both inner Glasgow zones, and purchasing one of these entitles the user to use the subway system in both areas.
A child's zonecard with 6 zones or an adult zonecard with 13 zones, entitles the user to travel throughout all zones.
A ZoneCard consists of a photocard and a paper counterpart which displays the validity period and is used for operating the barriers on Glasgow's Subway
. Previously, passengers who have validated their tickets for the Subway needed to have their tickets manually checked at the ticket barriers at Glasgow Queen Street station
because the barriers accept only standard-sized Subway tickets. In 2004, the Glasgow Queen Street barriers were updated so that ZoneCards did not need validation to operate them . The card can be purchased in durations of 1 week, 4 weeks, 10 weeks, and 1 year.
The ZoneCard can be used to gain free travel with any participating transport provider within the 'zones' that the holder has purchased. With a total of approximately 70 transport providers—across bus
, rail
, and ferry
services—in the scheme, there are very few companies who do not accept ZoneCards.
Operators criticise the complexity of the zone system, (77 zones compared with 8 in Transport for London
)'s scheme the Tfl area is much smaller (614 square miles (1,590.3 km²) is slightly smaller than South Lanarkshire
but contains 90 more Underground stations than SPT contains train stations, the bus network in SPT is considerably larger due to the size of the area.
) are guaranteed a certain percentage of the revenue regardless of these factors. Aside from the previously mentioned administration costs, the scheme is designed to be self-supporting, unlike some other tickets which are subsidised with public money to help the significant percentage of households in the region that do not have access to a car.
Travel card
A travel card is a ticket usable on more than one journey, route or mode of public transport within a specific area using bulk or discounted payment; some systems only cover travel by disabled or elderly people...
issued by the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport
Strathclyde Partnership for Transport
The Strathclyde Partnership for Transport is a public body which is responsible for planning and co-ordinating regional transport, and especially the public transport system, in the Strathclyde area of western Scotland...
, formerly Strathclyde Passenger Transport in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
Usage
The scheme divides the SPT area into 9 regions distinguished by a letterD for Dumbarton
S for Strathkelvin
G for Glasgow
Y is possibly for Inverclyde, though a verifiable source of information can not be found.
R for Renfrew
K for Kilmarnock
A for Ayr
H for Hamilton
L for Lanark
which are further subdivided into zones dividing the main towns of the area for example Ayr
Ayr
Ayr is a town and port situated on the Firth of Clyde in south-west Scotland. With a population of around 46,000, Ayr is the largest settlement in Ayrshire, of which it is the county town, and has held royal burgh status since 1205...
, Prestwick
Prestwick
Prestwick is a town in South Ayrshire on the south-west coast of Scotland, about south-west of Glasgow. It adjoins the larger town of Ayr, the centre of which is about south...
and Troon
Troon
Troon is a town in South Ayrshire. It is situated on the west coast of Scotland, about eight miles north of Ayr and three miles northwest of Glasgow Prestwick International Airport. Lying across the Firth of Clyde, the Isle of Arran can be seen. Troon is also a port with freight and ferry services...
are in A1, A2 and A3 respectively
there are a total of 77 zones.If you hold a valid ticket for either G1 or G2, you are also able to travel within the shaded city centre area. If you hold a valid ticket for either G1 or G2 and wish to travel in an outer Glasgow zone (G3 to G8) a minimum of three zones is required. If you possess three Glasgow zones, you will have the freedom to travel in all Glasgow zones (G1 to G8). The city centre is served by both inner Glasgow zones, and purchasing one of these entitles the user to use the subway system in both areas.
A child's zonecard with 6 zones or an adult zonecard with 13 zones, entitles the user to travel throughout all zones.
A ZoneCard consists of a photocard and a paper counterpart which displays the validity period and is used for operating the barriers on Glasgow's Subway
Glasgow Subway
The Glasgow Subway is an underground metro line in Glasgow, Scotland. Opened on 14 December 1896, it is the third-oldest underground metro system in the world after the London Underground and the Budapest Metro. Formerly a cable railway, the Subway was later electrified, but its twin circular lines...
. Previously, passengers who have validated their tickets for the Subway needed to have their tickets manually checked at the ticket barriers at Glasgow Queen Street station
Glasgow Queen Street railway station
Glasgow Queen Street is a railway station in Glasgow, Scotland, the smaller of the city's two main line railway termini and the third-busiest station in Scotland. It is between George Street to the south and Cathedral Street Bridge to the north, at the northern end of Queen Street adjacent to...
because the barriers accept only standard-sized Subway tickets. In 2004, the Glasgow Queen Street barriers were updated so that ZoneCards did not need validation to operate them . The card can be purchased in durations of 1 week, 4 weeks, 10 weeks, and 1 year.
The ZoneCard can be used to gain free travel with any participating transport provider within the 'zones' that the holder has purchased. With a total of approximately 70 transport providers—across bus
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
, rail
Rail transport
Rail transport is a means of conveyance of passengers and goods by way of wheeled vehicles running on rail tracks. In contrast to road transport, where vehicles merely run on a prepared surface, rail vehicles are also directionally guided by the tracks they run on...
, and ferry
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
services—in the scheme, there are very few companies who do not accept ZoneCards.
Operators criticise the complexity of the zone system, (77 zones compared with 8 in Transport for London
Transport for London
Transport for London is the local government body responsible for most aspects of the transport system in Greater London in England. Its role is to implement the transport strategy and to manage transport services across London...
)'s scheme the Tfl area is much smaller (614 square miles (1,590.3 km²) is slightly smaller than South Lanarkshire
South Lanarkshire
South Lanarkshire is one of 32 unitary council areas of Scotland, covering the southern part of the former county of Lanarkshire. It borders the south-east of the city of Glasgow and contains many of Glasgow's suburbs, commuter towns and smaller villages....
but contains 90 more Underground stations than SPT contains train stations, the bus network in SPT is considerably larger due to the size of the area.
Revenue
The revenue from the scheme is split between the participating operators (the administration costs are absorbed by SPT) based on a number of factors, such as the number of routes operated by a provider, an annual user survey, and passenger counts by SPT officials. Some operators (notably First ScotRailFirst ScotRail
ScotRail Railways Ltd. is the FirstGroup-owned train operating company running domestic passenger trains within Scotland, northern England and the cross-border Caledonian Sleeper service to London using the brand ScotRail which is the property of the Scottish Government...
) are guaranteed a certain percentage of the revenue regardless of these factors. Aside from the previously mentioned administration costs, the scheme is designed to be self-supporting, unlike some other tickets which are subsidised with public money to help the significant percentage of households in the region that do not have access to a car.