Train passengers who use railcards might soon have to go through checks when they buy tickets at a lower price. The government is trying out a system to stop people from cheating on their tickets. And this will start in April.
The government thinks this could save around £20 million every year that they are losing because of tickets. At the same time, they want to ensure that railcard users who make honest mistakes do not face unfair punishment. Know More
When people buy tickets they will have to do a check to make sure everything is okay. They can do this when they buy tickets online at a ticket machine or from a person. Once they have done the check the system will automatically give them the discount. This new system will first be used on the Greater Anglia and c2c train lines.
The government is making these changes because the Office of Rail and Road found out that train companies are getting better at stopping people from not paying for tickets. They are not doing enough to help passengers who are not trying to cheat. The rules for tickets are very complicated and confusing, so they sometimes cause trouble for people who are not doing anything wrong.
The government is also going to make it easier for people to get their money back if their train is late or cancelled. Now people have to ask the train company for a refund. Which can be confusing if they bought their ticket from a different company. Read More
Under the plan people will be able to ask for a refund from the company they bought their ticket from, like Trainline. This change will happen when Great British Railways starts, which is the company that will be in charge of all the trains in the country.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander says that these changes will make things simpler for passengers. And ensure the government uses its money to keep ticket prices stable. And improve trains, instead of losing money to people who cheat.
