A new online train ticket retailer is to be created, the Department for Transport (DfT) has announced in a surprise reversal of a proposal dropped by the previous Conservative government.
The new service will launch after the Great British Railways (GBR) is established, expected no earlier than late 2026.
The government said the service would bring together individual train operators’ ticket websites. Exact plans are yet to be announced.
As a result of the announcement, shares in train ticketing platform Trainline slipped by 4.3 per cent, to 364p, in early trading on Wednesday.
A proposal for a new website and app to sell tickets was introduced under the Conservative government in May 2021 by transport secretary Grant Shapps.
The following December, the DfT – with the Conservatives still in power – highlighted the “important role” of the private sector as it announced it was “not pursuing” plans for a new retailer.
On Wednesday, under the Labour government, the department said: “After GBR is established following legislation, it will retail online by bringing together individual train operators’ ticket websites.
“It will work alongside a thriving private-sector retail market, where all rail retailers can compete in an open and fair manner.
“The private sector will continue to play a key role in driving growth through innovation and investment, and encouraging more people to choose rail.”
The statement added that “exact plans” for the new retailer and “ensuring a fair and competitive market” will be developed “in close partnership with industry and the private sector”.
GBR will be a new public sector body responsible for rail infrastructure and train operation.
In December 2023, regulator the Office of Rail and Road published a report stating that seven retailers, including Trainline, used “drip pricing”, which involves charges being added to advertised low prices.
The regulator’s review found that booking fees ranged from 45p per ticket to £6.45 per transaction.
Passengers can purchase tickets directly through operators’ websites and apps without paying a fee.
Mark Plowright, director of retailer Virgin Trains Ticketing, said: “Virgin Trains Ticketing is an advocate of a vibrant rail ticketing market as a competitive industry benefits rail passengers across the UK.
“However, there’s still much more work to be done to simplify rail tickets and make train travel less confusing for passengers, which is why Virgin Trains Ticketing continues to campaign for more straightforward ticketing.
“Consumers should be able to make informed decisions about the best ticket for them and all ticket retailers should have access to the same deals and offers to enable this.”
