Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that ticket machines at train stations always offer the lowest available fares.

We recognize that rail passengers should always be able to get the best deal. That is why the Department has worked closely with industry and other stakeholders on the Action Plan for Information on Rail Fares and Ticketing Information launched in December 2016 to make it easier for passengers to choose the right fares for them. Today, all ticket vending machines (TVMs) in the country will alert customers if they have selected a more expensive type of the same ticket. Many train companies have taken a step further to introduce a voluntary TVM price guarantee promising a refund of the additional ticket costs to passengers who find that they could have bought a cheaper ticket for the same journey.