Barclaycard plans OnePulse national rollout

OnePulse cards can be used to make payments without being removed from a wallet or purse

Barclaycard has announced its intention to increase the use of its OnePulse contactless payment cards.

The firm said that it will have issued over one million of the cards by the end of this year, and will have a network of thousands of retailers accepting payments.

OnePulse cards can be used to make payments without being removed from a wallet or purse.

The system was launched by Barclays, along with Transport for London (TfL) and Transys, in September 2007 as a three-in-one card offering small value, travel and credit transactions.

Although the cards can handle payment through a handswipe, credit transactions for larger amounts are backed up with a Pin.

The bank said that the simplicity and security of the cards would help shops, diners and restaurants to increase transaction numbers and speed up service.

Elizabeth Chambers, Barclaycard chief marketing officer, said when the trial was first announced that Barclaycard OnePulse is "the future of payments in London".

Now, one year on, Barclaycard is still pitching the cards as the payment tool of the future. The firm said that it soon plans to offer more payment options, such as one that uses wireless networks and a mobile phone.

"In time you won't have to carry a plastic credit card around with you if you don't want to, although some people will choose to for nostalgic reasons," said Barclaycard chief executive Antony Jenkins.

"The future of Barclaycard is as a payments business, where we bring two people or businesses together through payment methods that are smoother, slicker, simpler and safer for the consumers, and add value to retailers with potential for increased transaction value and repeat custom.

"Credit will be one aspect of what we offer, should the customer want it, but our vision is far wider than that now."

For users concerned that such a payment system was a little too futuristic Jenkins added: "If I had said to you 10 years ago that you couldn't pay with a cheque at the supermarket, you wouldn't have believed me.

"That is now the reality, and we see plastic cards going the same way eventually."

Barclaycard has 11.9 million users in the UK and 93,000 retailer and merchant relationships.