Cut Rail Fares to Entice Travellers Back On Trains, Says Watchdog

The passenger watchdog, Transport Focus, has urged the government to cut rail fares in order to entice travellers back onto trains amid a slump in numbers due to the pandemic.

The watchdog said an overhaul of the pricing system could include flexible season tickets for people who may only commute part-time as home working becomes more popular.

Passenger numbers on trains are less than 25% of what they were before the pandemic started, prompting campaigners and unions to urge the government to revise fares before prices are set for 2021.

Campaigners say that fares and season tickets will become increasingly unaffordable despite the annual increase being tied to the retail price index (RPI) figure for July, which is expected to be the lowest in years.

Chief executive of Transport Focus, Anthony Smith, said: “The government needs to get train companies to offer a combination of cut-price deals, carnet style ‘bundles’, flexible season tickets for commuters and better value for money fares across the board.

“Like the government’s restaurant deal, we need a ‘head out to help out’ campaign to help get the country on the move again, boost the economy and reduce traffic on our roads.”

Surveys carried out by Transport Focus show that almost two-thirds of rail commuters are expecting to work more from home in the coming months, with only a third of passengers feeling satisfied with the value for money they are getting from their rail ticket.

Emma Gibson, director of London TravelWatch, describes the situation as a ‘once in a generation opportunity for the government to fix the broken fares system’.

“We know some operators have already introduced carnets and flexible ticketing, but more needs to be done as millions of passengers are currently missing out,” said Gibson.

The RMT Union is pushing for flexible ticketing nationally, referencing data that showed that there were over 8 million people working in the UK part-time even before the pandemic hit. The RMT proposes annual season tickets that are valid for two, three or four days a week, instead of the current seven.

RMT boss Mick Lynch said: “The reality is many commuters and their firms will be holding off purchasing season tickets for 2021 as home working becomes a long term feature. There will be a massive drop in demand for conventional season tickets and unless the demand for more flexible tickets and affordable tickets is met, commuters will permanently abandon the railway.”