Trial of scrapping train return tickets extended

A trial that has seen the scrapping of return tickets will be extended it has been confirmed. 

The trial was implemented to help make fares simpler. 

Transport Secretary Mark Harper will confirm on Tuesday that publicly-owned 

LNER will extend its trial of selling single tickets only on its routes.

Under the trial, a single ticket is always half the cost of a return. Currently, many singles are £1 less than a return. 

The government said such reforms could provide “better value” for passengers.

LNER runs trains between London and Peterborough, the East Midlands, Leeds and York, through to Newcastle, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Glasgow. 

It is unclear if the plans to roll out the trail at LNER will extend to other train operators. 

Railway expert Mark Smith said the reforms created a “simple all-one-way fares structure designed for easy sale through today’s channels: Internet, ticket machines and contactless”.

He said the current ticket system “penalises” people making open-jaw or circular journeys rather than straightforward returns.

In 2021, the government announced plans for Great British Railways (GBR) to replace an “overcomplicated and fragmented” system as well as timetables and prices, sell tickets in England and manage rail infrastructure.