Earlybird travellers could get cheaper train tickets

PA

Commuters who have been crippled by the rising cost of train travel may be able to save some money if they are willing to travel before 8am.

The Daily Express reports that Transport Secretary Justine Greening is considering a proposal to offer reduced fares to people who avoid rush hour. This would mark a return to the early morning discounts which were axed in the 1950s.

A Department of Transport paper on flexible fares suggests using smart tickets, such as London's Oyster card, where passengers use up credits on each journey.

The paper reads: "We need to look seriously at the possibility of rewarding passengers who do not travel on the most crowded trains.

"There is much more spare capacity before 8am and after 9am which could be used by passengers currently travelling in crowded conditions during the 'high peak'. One option would be a new category of fares priced somewhere between the high-peak and the off-peak fare."

The Express reports that the Campaign for Better Transport and the watchdog Passenger Focus both support the smart ticketing proposal, provided that prices for travel between 8am and 9am are not increased further as a result.

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