Labour has announced plans to reduce rail fares by a third and simplify ticket prices for part-time workers if it wins the upcoming election. The party also wants to make train travel free for young people under the age of 16.
Such a policy could only be applied to regulated fares, which include most standard and saver return fares, as well as weekly season tickets and off-peak fares between major cities. They make up about 45% of all fares.
Apart from the obvious argument that many trains can’t accommodate any more passengers and that extra money would have to be found from somewhere, what are the main implications for unregulated fares? I would guess that operators would respond by increasing them.
The need for part-time workers to be recognised in season ticket pricing has come up before, but I'm not sure about teenagers riding around for nothing!
Such a policy could only be applied to regulated fares, which include most standard and saver return fares, as well as weekly season tickets and off-peak fares between major cities. They make up about 45% of all fares.
Apart from the obvious argument that many trains can’t accommodate any more passengers and that extra money would have to be found from somewhere, what are the main implications for unregulated fares? I would guess that operators would respond by increasing them.
The need for part-time workers to be recognised in season ticket pricing has come up before, but I'm not sure about teenagers riding around for nothing!