Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has had recent discussions with rail companies on the affordability of fares.

The Department regularly meets with the rail industry, on a variety of issues including rail affordability. Following last year’s biggest ever Government intervention to cap rail fare increases below inflation, we will continue to protect passengers from cost-of-living pressures and will not increase next year’s rail fares by as much as July RPI.

We have also introduced several other initiatives to support passengers, including launching flexible season tickets and three new Railcards.