£4m travel project launches app for contactless 'tap in, tap out' system in Nottingham and Derby

A first-of-its-kind mobile app has been launched today (Friday, December 12) across Nottingham and Derby, bringing together a host of integrated transport information and ticketing options in one handy place.

Ride aims to make it simple and easy to get around both cities. One app brings together buses, trams, trains, walking, cycling and shared transport services, including car club, rental e-scooters and e-bikes.

This means travellers can use the Ride app to purchase tickets for every operator in one convenient place without the need for multiple apps and accounts on their phone.

It can be downloaded now from the Play Store for Android devices and App Store for iOS.

The £4m project was developed through a partnership between Nottingham and Derby city councils and funded by the Government’s Future Transport Zones (FTZ) programme. This provides grants specifically for trialling new and innovative transport technologies and mobility services.

Travellers who use multiple modes of transport can track buses in real-time, with the ability to see buses from all operators live on an interactive map.

They can personalise choices around walking distances, preferred modes of transport and regularly-used operators.

Regular commuters can also see a range of car club vehicles, locations and make bookings in advance.

Cyclists in Nottingham can also see locations and battery levels of e-bikes and e-scooters before hiring.

Ride can map out journeys door-to-door across different providers making opting for sustainable travel options even easier, accessible and convenient – further supporting efforts in both cities to cut carbon emissions.

The app will evolve with new features, accessibility enhancements and more transport operators over time. Along with other public transport responsibilities, operation of Ride will transfer to the East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) from early 2026.

Councillor Linda Woodings, Executive Member for Regional Development, Growth and Transport at Nottingham City Council, said: “We’re really excited about Ride and it shows the strength of partnership that exists between the two councils and all the local transport operators that we have been able to make this happen.

“Ride is one of the first of its kind in the country. Being able to track buses in real time is transformative in terms of knowing that your bus is on its way and where it is on its journey.

“I’d encourage everyone to download Ride from their app store and spend some time over the coming weeks trying it out using the different forms of transport that are available around the two cities.

“We’re confident that passengers will really value having everything they need in one handy place.”

Councillor Carmel Swan, Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Transport and Sustainability at Derby City Council, said: “Over the past few years we have dedicated a lot of time and resource to making it as easy as possible for residents and visitors to travel around the city.

“Ride brings all of this work together, making navigating around Derby and Nottingham as seamless as possible, as well as supporting users to make sustainable transport choices.

“We're very excited to officially launch Ride and hear what users think of the app over the coming months.”

Claire Ward, Mayor of the East Midlands, said: “Ride supports the growth of our region by making it easier and more efficient to travel around.

“The use of cutting-edge technology to integrate different forms of transport is another example of the East Midlands leading the way.

“I hope that Ride proves popular with passengers as I’m keen to see how this scheme could be expanded further across the region.”

For more information about the new Ride website click here: rideeastmids.com