Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of requiring the Rail Delivery Group to extend the period of use of railcards in response to the travelling time lost as a result of the covid-19 outbreak; and if he will make a statement.

The Department recognises that railcard holders have been unable to use their cards whilst travel restrictions are in place in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and railcard holders have not been able to benefit to the fullest extent over recent months. However, many passengers are able to recover the cost of their railcard in a single trip over the period of validity of their railcard. Having carefully considered the situation, we currently have no plans to require the Rail Delivery Group to extend the period of use of railcards.