Britain’s rail fare system has become so complicated, the rail operators say, that people are choosing to drive or fly rather than finding the right fare in a menu of thousands, each with its own restrictions and quirks. They’re pushing for a simplified structure that will lure customers onto the rails and help save the environment.
The UK’s rail system currently features the Rail Delivery Group, which is responsible for organizing and maintaining an integrated ticket sale system, National Rail which operates tracks and stations, and a confusing welter of companies that have been granted rights to certain routes across the country.
Add to that a fare structure that frequently makes a journey cost less if purchased as two or three segments rather than a single trip, and a large collection of passes, railcards and more, and you have, the train companies say, a situation ripe for reform. They believe that an easier fare system alone would help cut carbon emissions by 1.2 million tonnes over ten years, not to mention saving money for thousands of passengers.
A trial of simpler fares is set for next year on train operator LNER, which runs mainline services between London, the Northeast and Scotland.
