Norman Baker – 2021 Comments on Flexible Season Tickets

The comments made by Norman Baker, from the Campaign for Better Transport, on 21 June 2021.

Finally, after years of campaigning people who commute part time are being offered an alternative to full-time season tickets. Unfortunately, these new flexible tickets do not appear to offer the kind of savings we had hoped for and are not comparable to the discounts for people commuting full time. There appears to be no standard level of discount and in some cases the flexible season ticket could end up being more expensive than the day return option.

The projected growth in hybrid working has made this an urgent issue and to avoid an increase in commuting by car we need to encourage people back on board trains. The test will be whether the level of discounts offered will entice people onto rail. Sadly, we don’t think they will, except at the margins, so this could turn out to be a real missed opportunity.