Bus passengers in Lancashire could eventually be able to buy a single ticket that can be used on all services in the county – regardless of the firm operating them.

The ‘Any Bus’ smart card scheme would enable travellers to hop hassle-free between buses and potentially cut the cost of more lengthy and complex journeys.

County transport bosses are planning to roll out the initiative in phases and aim to cover the whole area by 2029, subject to funding being available.

The Fylde coast will be first – with single tickets also being valid for use on Blackpool’s trams.  No date has been revealed for its introduction.

The scheme is already partially operating in Preston, but the authority’s environment, economic growth and transport scrutiny committee heard it had been hampered by one operator declining to take part.

But Andrew Varley, public and integrated transport service head, said “negotiations” with that firm – which he did not name – were ongoing in order to get them on board with the concept.

Mr Varley said:  “You basically buy one ticket and you can transfer between buses – and we sort the monies out in the background.

“It’s something that takes time to roll out and we need to get one trial in place just to see how it works, but the intention is to introduce it on every service in the county.”

Highways head Matthew Townsend acknowledged Any Bus would require “a lot of different agreements and a lot of different negotiations” before it could come to every corner of the county, but he said it would be “better for the people of Lancashire as a whole” than the current arrangement.

As well as a Lancashire-wide day ticket, tickets for multi-operator bus travel within different zones would also be available.

The committee was told there were related plans to develop a single app for Lancashire bus passengers, which would bring travel information together in one place.

Members heard although the Fylde coast scheme would incorporate trams, there were currently no plans to include the Knott End to Fleetwood ferry service – although it was an “ambition” to do so eventually.