Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of unregulated peak-time fares on intercity rail services on modal shift and environmental goals.

Over the past 30 years, privatisation has complicated fares leading to pricing cliff edges and to the inefficient and unacceptable situation where some ‘peak’ trains run nearly empty while some ‘off-peak’ trains are overcrowded. This is why we are overhauling it and are already making positive progress.

We are supporting London North Eastern Railway (LNER) with trialling a new fares structure which introduces more flexible products for passengers, making it easier to choose cheaper, less busy trains, putting passenger choice first and tackling overcrowding.

LNER regularly report on the trial to demonstrate it is meeting its commitment to ensure more affordable tickets are available to passengers.