Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make it his policy to fund an extension scheme for railway season ticket holders who have not used their season tickets as as a result of the Government's measures to prevent the transmission of covid-19; and if he will make a statement.

We have no plans to offer an extension scheme for rail season ticket holders as they are entitled to claim a refund for time unused on their tickets, in accordance with the National Rail Conditions of Travel.

We have worked with the rail industry to make the process for claiming refunds easier during this crisis, for example by allowing passengers to claim refunds remotely rather than returning their ticket to a ticket office. We have also allowed passengers to backdate their season ticket refund claim to 17th March, when ‘do not travel’ advice was first introduced, or the date their ticket was last used, whichever is later. The refund acceptance period for passengers has also been extended from 28 to 56 days.