Click here to listen to the latest rail news on Wednesday, 17th January 2024. Sponsored by Petards Rail
InTheNews Sponsored by Petards Rail: The latest rail news on Wednesday, 17th January 2024
Transport for London is planning to pilot a change to Elizabeth line ticketing as part of wider alterations at some of its stations.
An article on the MyLondon website says currently, customers can pay to travel on the capital’s new £18 billion railway line using their Oyster or contactless card. They can also use Google or Apple Pay on their phone or smart watches. TfL paper tickets can also be used, but it can be cheaper to use pay as you go options.
Now, another option is set to be available for travellers. Sadiq Khan has told the London Assembly that officials are working on a plan with the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) to install hand-held barcode scanning equipment at ticket barriers on the Elizabeth line, as well as other stations owned by the TfL. This would allow passengers to scan eTickets held on their smartphones or printed out from an email.
Fares on the East Coast Main Line have been simplified and are being based on demand in an attempt to encourage more people to travel by train.
An article on the Edinburgh Evening News says a two-year trial overhauling the fares system on the line – one of Britain’s busiest – was launched by operator London North Eastern Railway (LNER) on Tuesday. But concerns have been raised that the changes reduce choice and flexibility for passengers.
The scheme applies to journeys between London King’s Cross and each of Newcastle, Berwick-upon-Tweed and Edinburgh. The number of available standard class fares for those routes has been cut from seven to three.
A new fare named 70-min Flex has been introduced, enabling passengers to travel on other LNER services up to 70 minutes before or after their booked journey.
Industry figures show that, in the year to March 2023, the railway more than doubled the assistance provided to customers who request additional support while travelling by rail, according to the Rail Delivery Group.
Office for Rail and Road (ORR) data on passenger assists requested during the year to March 2023 shows an increase of over 60 per cent when compared to the previous year.
The Rail Delivery Group welcomed this data, adding that it showed the industry had responded to increased demand for assistance as part of its ongoing commitment to make the railway accessible and inclusive for everyone.
Thousands of food parcels, paid for by donations from British rail companies, are being delivered to Ukrainian rail workers and their families. Known in Ukraine as the ‘Iron People’, many are working at the front line helping to repair the damage from Russian attacks, including the latest round of missile strikes over the Christmas period.
At ‘Rail Partners with Ukraine’ fundraiser in September 2023, industry trade body Rail Partners and its member private-sector passenger owning groups, freight operating companies, and other industry colleagues, raised over £106,000 to purchase the food parcels and deliver them to Ukrainian rail workers.
Photo credit: Rail Partners
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