Return bus tickets will no longer be sold or accepted on any Bus Vannin services after tomorrow (Friday).

Passengers will now be able to buy only point-to-point single tickets on board through contactless payments or cash - or they can use their Go card.

Director of transport services Ian Longworth said that he wanted to encourage more passengers to pay by card and so didn’t want to give discounts for cash.

He said: ’Collecting cash on bus is very slow and alternative means of payment such as smart card and contactless are much quicker.

’We now have 62% of transactions by smart card and approaching 10% of cash has already changed to contactless.

’Going forward we are offering discounts for use of smart cards and we do not wish to continue to give discounts for cash.

’To encourage more smart card use we have reduced the number of journeys you have to purchase to six and the minimum amount of travel is one day on a saver ticket.’

He added: 'Use of buses has grown over 50% since the bus network review in 2012 and to maintain journey times we need to collect less cash on bus.’

Significant discounts are available to customers who purchase either six or 12 journeys on the Go Places card.

On the heritage railways, stations have taken cards for years but paying on train or tram at unmanned stations will remain cash until the next technical upgrade which is probably a year away.

Mr Longworth said: ’We expect to accept mobile ticketing, paying via the zip trip app next later in the year and that will be on all modes.’

For all travel fare details, visit www.bus.im, speak to any bus driver, contact the Welcome Centre on 662525 or email [email protected]