Department for Transport needs to implement recommendations of regulatory body to stop train passengers being charged for the wrong tickets – McDonald

Andy McDonald, Labour’s Shadow Transport Secretary, commenting on the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) report on ticket vending machines, said:

“The government have been warned for years that ticketing machines regularly make passengers pay more than necessary or risk fines for purchasing the wrong ticket. They need to stand up to the Train Operating Companies to ensure the ORR’s recommendations are implemented.

“People don’t want to navigate confusing ticketing machines or shop around for the cheapest ticket, they want to get from A to B for as little as possible but our privatised and fragmented railway means that there are millions of separate fares that differ from franchise to franchise and leave passengers paying over the odds.

“This is why Labour will take our railways back into public ownership, so that they are run in the public interest with fares that work for passengers and not profiteering train companies.” 

Ends

Editor’s Note:

1. 1.      Link to the Office of Rail and Road report - http://orr.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/24048/ticket-vending-machines-review-february-2017.pdf