Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the revenue implications for his Department of requiring rail franchisees to provide part-time season tickets; and if he will make a statement.
Several existing franchises have commitments to develop part time seasons as part of their franchise, and the revenue implications for this would have been considered as part of the net premia or subsidy bid for the franchise overall.
In addition, the Secretary of State requires bidders for rail franchises to propose initiatives that give customers who travel less than 5 days a week a better value-for-money option. These proposals are then contracted into the respective Franchise Agreements to offer a product or products in addition to existing season tickets. We continue to challenge the rail industry to develop proposals for pricing and delivering more flexible ticketing options for those who work or commute part-time.