Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 6 January 2026 to Question 101488, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of removing or consolidating lower-cost rail fares as part of fare simplification reforms on fare evasion.

As part of our reforms to the railways, we are making fares easier to understand, so that passengers can buy tickets with confidence, knowing they are getting the right fare every time. Under Great British Railways (GBR), passengers will enjoy a consistent, reliable offer across the entire network. Simplifying fares is intended to improve passenger confidence and reduce the likelihood of unintentional fare irregularities.

Tackling fare evasion is a priority. The Secretary of State has accepted the Office for Road and Rail’s recommendations in its June 2025 review into revenue protection practices, and the Department will respond formally in due course.

In light of this wider work on ticketing and fare evasion, the Department has not undertaken a separate assessment specifically on the impact of removing or consolidating lower‑cost fares on fare evasion.