Discount rail ticket prices plan sparks political row

Plans to reduce rail ticket prices in a bid to help get the economy moving over the next few weeks have been branded "small comfort" after years of "soaring fares".

In what is being dubbed the Great British Rail Sale, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps says over a million train tickets would be reduced this month and next.

The Department for Transport is hoping the move will help hard-pressed households, facing rising bills and soaring inflation, to afford trips and boost domestic tourism.

Discounted tickets went on sale yesterday, with passengers eligible to travel for less on off-peak fares between April 25 and May 27 – from the National Rail website.

Mr Shapps said: "For the first time ever, operators across the rail industry are coming together to help passengers facing rising costs of living by offering up to 50% off more than a million tickets on journeys across Britain.

Labour's shadow transport secretary Louise Haigh said the discounts will be "small comfort to passengers" after years of "soaring fares".

She said: "A decade of brutal Tory fare hikes have priced people off our railways.

"This temporary respite will be small comfort to passengers who had thousands taken out of their pockets from soaring fares since 2010.

“The decision to end the sale just before half-term will also mean many families face the same punishing costs over the holidays.

She added: "Working people are facing the worst costof-living crisis in decades.

"And the Conservatives have chosen to hike up taxes and reject a windfall tax on the soaring profits of oil and gas giants.”