PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Railways: Tickets (16 June 2015)

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he expects the south east flexible ticketing trial to conclude; how much has been spent on that trial in each year to date; and whether that programme's geographic scope has been determined.

Asked by:
Lilian Greenwood (Labour)

A competition was held in December 2014 for a trial to gather evidence on flexible rail ticketing. Positive expressions of interest were received from seven operators in the South East Flexible Ticketing (SEFT) programme area; we are working with them so they can introduce flexible ticketing products as soon as possible following the roll out of smart ticketing in 2016 and 2017. A passenger preference survey on flexible ticketing has been completed and preparations are being made to model the impacts of flexible ticketing on operator revenues. Additionally, flexible ticketing products will be launched later this year by Govia Thameslink Railway under franchise obligations. The impact of those and similar products will be evaluated to add to the evidence base. To date, less than £50,000 has been spent by the Department on the flexible ticketing trial.

Answered by:
Andrew Jones (Conservative)
22 June 2015