FIRST West Yorkshire has announced that more than 4,250 customers are switching to contactless payments for its services every week.

The move to contactless was first touted in January 2017 but came to Bradford last month.

For many, this is a welcome introduction with bus services aiming to improve punctuality and efficiency with speedier transactions.

Elisha Specks, 21, of Wibsey believed “other places like Manchester and London have this service, so it’s a step in the right direction”.

Elisha herself uses the mTicket.

One 50-year-old Wibsey woman, who did not want to be identified, does not use the new system but likes its time-saving effects.

She stated: “I have a disabled pass, but I get served quicker now, so it’s better.”

Jade, 29, of Greengates, said “I use it a lot as I don’t carry money.”

According to Martin Hirst, commercial director of First West Yorkshire, there has seen “a 100 per cent year-on-year growth” in its use.

He encourages more people to utilise these different pre-paid services in order to make journeys even quicker.

But Elisha does admit that the move might be problematic for those of an older generation.

A number of those interviewed did not even know about the new service.

Donna Lewis, 50, of Holme Wood, mentioned that despite all these new promises, her bus had not turned up on time and she was subsequently late for an interview.

Even advocates of contactless, such as a 21-year-old woman from Eccleshill who did not want to be named, admitted she had not noticed a difference in service punctuality.

Two women from Clayton, who did not want to be identified, thought more focus should be placed on improving services in their locality.

Views were mixed, but with over 80,000 transactions in the last month, it seems contactless is here to stay.