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Boris Johnson unveils plans for culture contactless smart card
10 Jun 2010

Boris Johnson has unveiled plans for a new contactless smart card scheme which will encourage users to attend art events in London, according to reports. 

The proposal is part of the new draft culture strategy for the capital, called Cultural Metropolis, reports thestage.co.uk. 

Details of the plan have not fully been revealed, but users are expected to be able to use the cards to pay for cultural events, while a loyalty scheme may also been incorporated. 

Officials have claimed that the project could be expanded if it proves to be a success. 

Munira Mirza, the mayor's adviser for arts and culture, claimed that the scheme will only be launched once organisers are comfortable with the plans. 

She told the website: "If we were going to introduce a Londoners' card and it had a cultural element then we would really want the cultural sector to understand it and feed into it properly and that's why it takes a bit of time to gestate."

The Greater London Authority is talking to Transport for London (TfL) and London borough councils to decide how to implement the scheme.