Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of rail fares and ticketing products designed specifically for hybrid-working.

Flexible Season Tickets were introduced to support flexible commuting patterns and provide eight days’ travel within a 28-day period.

The Department has previously published its Evaluation of the Flexible Season Rail Ticket which considered whether Flexible Season Tickets supported hybrid and part-time commuting patterns, encouraged demand, retained passengers and provided value to people whose travel needs had changed.

Passengers were generally very supportive of the product, whether they use it or not, noting, in particular, that it provides a better option for part-time workers and meets the needs of new commuting patterns.

We will ask DfTOperator and in due course GBR to review the continuing cost-effectiveness of Flexible Season Tickets as part of its wider work to ensure that fares and ticketing continue to reflect changing travel patterns and passenger needs.