RAIL


Cancellations and delays put rail services in the spotlight during the summer


“With East Coast, the important thing is that services continue to run and new trains will be introduced. All tickets booked through VTEC were honoured. Continuity is important rather than the brand,” he says. “We have responded to the consultation on fares and have encouraged our members to do the same. It would be much easier if fares were simpler and more transparent.” The review of fares is being undertaken by the Rail Delivery Group, which represents train operators, and it will announce the way forward by the end of this year. The current system dates from the 1990s and its complexities have created numerous anomalies, such as a return ticket costing the same or less than a single, and split ticketing – whereby a journey from A to B via C could be cheaper if booked A to C then C to B, all on the same train. Melanie Glass, head of client services


at Evolvi Rail Systems, says: “Everyone recognises that the current structure, with its 55 million different fares and complex rules, causes confusion, adds cost to UK plc and undermines trust in train operating companies. But we are concerned that the process is being framed by the statement that any outcomes must be revenue neutral. “This suggests that, if the result of the consultation is a likely reduction in overall operating income, which is feasible, some fares may need to be adjusted upwards.


buyingbusinesstravel.com 2018 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 117


are decreasing for the first time since 2008-09, dropping by 1.4% in 2017-18 to


1.7 billion


Overall passenger journeys


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