01.02.17
Rail industry agrees to trial most ‘radical’ fares overhaul in 30 years
Rail companies are set to make it easier for customers to find cheaper train fares in the most radical overhaul of the fares system since the 1980s.
First outlined by the DfT last year, the agreement means passengers on trains between London and Sheffield or Scotland will be among the first to benefit from the new system, which will look to end the need for ‘split ticketing’ by offering passengers a best-value, end-to-end ‘through fare’.
The changes will also allow for easier journey planning by allowing customers to ‘mix and match’ the best fare and route, and making the information provided by ticket machines more user-friendly.
“We know customers can find it hard to get the right ticket for their journey due to complex rules and regulations built up by governments over decades,” said Jacqueline Starr, managing director of customer experience for the Rail Delivery Group.
“There are more than 16 million different train fares, many of which nobody buys. This also makes it more difficult to give passengers the right, simple options on ticket machines.
“Working with government, we’re determined to overhaul the system to cut out red-tape, jargon and complication to make it easier for customers to buy fares they can trust, including from ticket machines.”
The trials are due to start in May on selected routes, including CrossCountry, Virgin Trains’ east and west coast services to Glasgow and Edinburgh, and East Midlands Trains.
In October, the Commons Transport Select Committee criticised the “complexity and a lack of transparency” of rail ticketing in its report on the future of the British rail industry.
Lianna Etkind, public transport campaigner at the Campaign for Better Transport, welcomed the industry’s plans to simplify the fares system which she branded “horribly complicated”.
However, Etkind also urged rail companies to introduce “long-overdue” part-time season tickets and ensure that station staffing levels are protected, as ticket vending machines “cannot replace trained, visible members of staff”.
Rail minister Paul Maynard confirmed that the government is working closely with the rail industry on actions to improve fares and ticketing for passengers over the next year.
“The ticket-buying experience is all too often complicated and hard to navigate and I welcome this initiative,” Maynard said. “We want a more modern and passenger-focused fares and ticketing system which takes advantage of all the benefits of new technology.”
(Image c. Lauren Hurley and PA Wire)
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