Government’s post-pandemic ‘flexi tickets’ leave commuters paying 150% more for train travel, says Labour
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Some commuters face forking out nearly 150% more for train travel
if they use the Government’s post-pandemic flexible season ticket
scheme. The tickets, which ministers claim “match modern working
habits” and “will save passengers hundreds of pounds” could in fact
cost rail-users up to £50 a day extra on some key routes – despite
being touted as a way to encourage people back into the office
after months of home working. Labour has compared the cost per day
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Some commuters face forking out nearly 150% more for train travel if they use the Government’s post-pandemic flexible season ticket scheme. The tickets, which ministers claim “match modern working habits” and “will save passengers hundreds of pounds” could in fact cost rail-users up to £50 a day extra on some key routes – despite being touted as a way to encourage people back into the office after months of home working. Labour has compared the cost per day of annual season tickets and the Government’s new flexi season ticket on more than 50 train routes. The analysis shows:
Jim McMahon MP, Labour’s Shadow Transport Secretary, said: “Ministers had a real chance to make train travel a more realistic and affordable option for families who have already been hit hard in the pocket and are struggling to make ends meet after struggling through the pandemic. “It is staggering that they are now lauding a scheme which in fact makes it more expensive for many people and hoping nobody notices. “This failure will discourage people from getting back on to the network when restrictions ease, which will be vital for getting the sector on a stable footing.” Ends Notes to Editors More than three quarters (79%) of respondents [to a CBI/Ipsos Mori survey] said in 2019 their staff were entirely or mostly working in an office or workplace away from home. Looking beyond 2021, businesses expect that figure to be just over one quarter (28%), with almost half (47%) expecting staff to split their time evenly between home and the workplace.” The Prime Minister committed to the idea of flexible season tickets last autumn but what has been announced is just the ability to buy 8 return journey up front to be used over a 28 day period. https://www.cityam.com/boris-johnson-confirms-rail-industry-working-on-flexible-season-tickets/ Cost per day of the flexi season ticket is wildly more in many cases than the cost per day of the annual season ticket. Top 5 biggest difference in cost
Therefore on some routes, it is more expensive to buy the flexible ticket to use 3 days a week for 48 weeks of the year than buy the annual pass and simply not use it for the other 2 working days of the week.
Whilst the annual season can be used 7 days a week, commuters will obviously typically just use it for the 5 weekdays. Therefore dividing by 5 and multiplying by 3 gives you the pro rata cost of a part time season ticket.
The average 2017 annual season ticket reportedly costs £2,788.[1] Regulated rail fares rose by 27.1% between 2010 and 2017, which means that the average season ticket in 2010 would have cost £2,194. A 43% (from 2010-2021) increase on £2,194 is £3,144.
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