RMT report supports introduction of flexible season tickets

RMT report supports introduction of flexible season tickets

17 August 2020

RMT Press Office:

As rail fare rise announcement looms new RMT report shows introduction of flexible season tickets will save commuters thousands of pounds

RMT today called on the Government to implement a simple National scheme for flexible ticketing on our railways with immediate effect to give passengers more flexibility in their travel options as the railway union has today published a report called ‘Flex Appeal – A Simple National Flexible Ticketing Scheme for our Railway’.

Since the lockdown was implemented on 23 March rail usage has slumped to just 23 per cent of pre Covid-19 levels as only 34 per cent of white collar workers have returned to the office whilst a survey of businesses found that 50 per cent say that remote working will become a permanent mix for most of their staff. Government statistics show that even before the Covid-19 crisis there was significant demand for flexible ticketing with over 8.3 million people working part-time across the UK.

This Wednesday is when July’s RPI figure is published which sets the increase for next years season tickets. RMT looked at 104 separate commuter routes across England, Wales and Scotland and the current prices for annual season tickets. RMT’s report shows that if the Government introduced annual season tickets that were valid for 2, 3 or 4 days per week rather than 7 days as they are today rail commuters who wanted to use more flexible travel would make significant savings.

Examples of Savings on Regular commutes into UK cities include the following (Full calculations including more UK cities can be found in Editor’s Notes below):

· Brighton to London Terminals current season ticket price is £4,580 per year. A pro-rated 3 day per week flexible season ticket would cost £2,748, a saving of £1,832 on a full season ticket.
· St. Albans to London Terminals current season ticket price is £3,712 per year. A pro-rated 3 day per week flexible season ticket would cost £2,227, a saving of £1,484 on a full season ticket.
· Glasgow to Edinburgh Terminals current season ticket price is £2,504 per year. A pro-rated 3 day per week flexible season ticket would cost £1,502.40, a saving of £1,001.60 on a full season ticket.
· Swansea to Cardiff Terminals current season ticket costs £1,844 per year. A pro-rated 3 day per week flexible season ticket would cost £1,106.40, a saving of £737.60 on a full season ticket.
· Nuneaton to Birmingham Terminals current season ticket costs £2,080 per year. A pro-rated 3 day per week flexible season ticket would cost £1,248, a saving of £832 on a full season ticket.
· Macclesfield to Manchester Terminals current season ticket costs £2,148 per year. A pro-rated 3 day per week flexible season ticket would cost £1,288.80, a saving of £859.20 on a full season ticket.
· Bradford-On-Avon to Bristol Terminals current season ticket costs £2,268 per year. A pro-rated 3 day per week flexible season ticket would cost £1,360.80, a saving of £907.20 on a full season ticket.
· Skipton to Leeds Terminals current season ticket costs £2,012 per year. A pro-rated 3 day per week flexible season ticket would cost £1,207, a saving of £805 on a full season ticket.
· Warrington Stations to Liverpool Terminals current season ticket costs £1,640 per year. A pro-rated 3 day per week flexible season ticket would cost £984, a saving of £656.00on a full season ticket.
· Middlesbrough to Newcastle Terminals current season ticket costs £2,224 per year. A pro-rated 3 day per week flexible season ticket would cost £1,334.40, a saving of £889.60 on a full season ticket.


RMT Senior Assistant General Secretary Mick Lynch said

“The reality is many commuters and their firms will be holding off purchasing season tickets for 2021 as home working becomes a long term feature. There will be a massive drop in demand for conventional season tickets and unless the demand for more flexible tickets and affordable tickets is met commuters will permanently abandon the railway.

The Government must rebuild passenger confidence and encourage passengers back to the railway by giving them what they want: flexible ticketing that’s good value and suits their needs as part of the Covid-19 recovery.

The vested interest of the Train Operating Companies has meant flexible ticketing has not been introduced because they believe it will hit the profits for their shareholders. RMT is today calling on the Government to immediately introduce a simple National scheme, supported by protecting ticket offices so that the right advice is always available, as part of a National strategy for a publicly owned railway that has key rail workers and passengers at its heart”


NOTES TO EDITORS

RMT Union’s report: ‘Flex Appeal – A Simple National Flexible Ticketing Scheme for our Railway’ can be downloaded here https://bit.ly/33UZ60q

RMT Union has conducted research that has found that rail passengers who are now working from home and wish to split their working week between home and the office and existing part-time workers would make significant savings if there were a national scheme for flexible season tickets that pro-rated the current cost of annual season tickets to 2 days per week, 3 days per week and 4 days per week.

Working on the basis that a 4 day per week annual season ticket would cost 4/5 that of the current annual season ticket, with a 3 day a week one costing 3/5 and a 2 day a week one costing 2/5, below are examples of the savings on routes into selected cities across the UK. RMT Union looked at 104 separate commuter routes across England, Wales and Scotland and the current prices for annual season tickets. The average savings for each pro-rated season ticket can be found below.

Table 1: UK Commuter Destinations and current season ticket prices and savings on flexible season tickets 
Station commuted from and Destination
current season ticket price
Flexible season ticket price (2/5 F/T price)
Flexible season ticket price (3/5 F/T price)
Flexible season ticket price (4/5 F/T price)
2 days  Flexible season ticket saving
3 days  Flexible season ticket saving
4 days  Flexible season ticket saving
Brighton to London Terminals
£4,580
£1,832.00
£2,748.00
£3,664.00
£2,748.00
£1,832.00
£916.00
St Albans City to London Terminals
£3,712
£1,484.80
£2,227.20
£2,969.60
£2,227.20
£1,484.80
£742.40
Glasgow to Edinburgh Terminals
£2,504
£1,001.60
£1,502.40
£2,003.20
£1,502.40
£1,001.60
£500.80
North Berwick to Edinburgh Terminals
£1,912
£764.80
£1,147.20
£1,529.60
£1,147.20
£764.80
£382.40
Newport to Cardiff Terminals 
£840.00
£336.00
£504.00
£672.00
£504.00
£336.00
£168.00
Swansea to Cardiff Terminals
£1,844
£737.60
£1,106.40
£1,475.20
£1,106.40
£737.60
£368.80
Nuneaton to Birmingham Terminals
£2,080
£832.00
£1,248.00
£1,664.00
£1,248.00
£832.00
£416.00
Redditch to Birmingham Terminals
£1,424
£569.60
£854.40
£1,139.20
£854.40
£569.60
£284.80
Macclesfield to Manchester Terminals
£2,148
£859.20
£1,288.80
£1,718.40
£1,288.80
£859.20
£429.60
Wilmslow to Manchester Terminals
£1,384
£553.60
£830.40
£1,107.20
£830.40
£553.60
£276.80
Bradford-On-Avon to Bristol Terminals
£2,268
£907.20
£1,360.80
£1,814.40
£1,360.80
£907.20
£453.60
Chippenham to Bristol Terminals
£2,188
£875.20
£1,312.80
£1,750.40
£1,312.80
£875.20
£437.60
York to Leeds Terminals
£1,960
£784
£1,176
£1,568
£1,176
£784
£392
Skipton to Leeds Terminals
£2,012
£805
£1,207
£1,610
£1,207
£805
£402
Widnes to Liverpool Terminals
£1,388
£555.20
£832.80
£1,110.40
£832.80
£555.20
£277.60
Warrington Stations to Liverpool Terminals
£1,640
£656.00
£984.00
£1,312.00
£984.00
£656.00
£328.00
Hexham to Newcastle Terminals
£1,384
£553.60
£830.40
£1,107.20
£830.40
£553.60
£276.80
Middlesbrough to Newcastle Terminals
£2,224
£889.60
£1,334.40
£1,779.20
£1,334.40
£889.60
£444.80
Destination Station
2 day a week average saving on current season ticket prices
3 day a week average saving on current season ticket prices
4 day a week average saving on current season ticket prices
Overall Average Saving
Trains into London
£2,625
£1,750
874.86
£1,750
Trains into Edinburgh
£976
£651
£325
£651
Trains into Cardiff
£945
£630
£315
£630
Trains into Birmingham
£1,038
£692
£346
£692
Trains into Manchester
£758
£505
£253
£505
Trains into Bristol
£1,324
£882
£441
£882
Trains into Leeds
£864
£576
£288
£576
Trains into Liverpool
£1,181
£788
£394
£788
Trains into Newcastle
£1,033
£689
£344
£689
Table 2: Average and overall saving with flexible season tickets on current full season ticket prices
 
 
 
 

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Tagged with: Flexible Season Tickets, Ticketing, Rail Fares