The delays, the cancellations, the constant industrial action: Britain’s railways are a bit of a nightmare right now. Now, in a move that’s likely prove just as unpopular as all that, return train tickets are expected to be replaced by ‘single-leg pricing’ soon as part of a revamp of the UK’s rail system.
Rather than return journeys being available at slightly discounted prices, passengers will have to purchase two single tickets at the same price. The idea was trialled by LNER back in 2020.
Transport secretary Mark Harper is expected to announce the shake-up in a speech tomorrow (Tuesday February 7). He may also declare the end of paper tickets and outline plans for ‘Great British Railways’, a new public body overseeing train services, ticketing and timetables.
The body was first proposed by ex-British Airways boss Keith Williams and unveiled by Boris Johnson and his transport secretary Grant Shapps in 2021, and forms part of wider attempts to regain public trust in the rail sector. However, it didn’t come to fruition at the time because of Tory fears it amounted to ‘nationalisation through the back door’.
On top of those changes, train fares are set to increase by 5.9 percent from March 5.
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