Last week, the new transport secretary, Grant Shapps, announced a brand-new rail card for 16-17 year olds that will give young rail passengers 50% discount on ticket prices across England and Wales.
The card will cost £30 and will be available before the end of August. The announcement means that rail passengers aged from 16 to 30 now benefit from significant savings on train tickets.
The government have also announced their independently-led review of the UK’s railways. The review will look at potential reform to rail fares, infrastructure and value for money for passengers. It will report in the Autumn with reform expected to get underway in 2020.
Following the announcement, St Albans MP Anne Main said:
“This is a really positive step from the government and it will help lots of young people in constituencies like mine who regularly use the country’s rail network to get around.
“We must ensure that the government listens to young people and does everything possible to help them progress in life. This rail card could help with the cost of travelling to sixth-form or college, it could help those who have secured an apprenticeship or those just entering the world of work. I would encourage everyone between the ages of 16 and 30 to make use of this discount and apply for a railcard.
“I am also encouraged to see the government taking swift action to review and assess our rail industry. There are obviously major improvements to be made and I hope we will start to see that soon.”
