Here's a good idea.
A new joint initiative from campaign groups Working Families and The Campaign for Better Transport is looking to bring about cheaper train travel for part-time workers.
They’ve linked up with a coalition of women’s groups, charities, and NGOs to send a loud and clear message to Government that we need cheaper rail travel for the country’s rapidly growing part-time workforce.
More than 8 million people are now working part-time and when shared parental leave is introduced in April 2015 more men will also want to take advantage of flexible rail tickets, so the issue really needs to be addressed quickly to give people what they want and need - a greater work-life balance.
Working from home is also on the increase, with Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures out last week showing that there is now a record 4.2 million UK home workers, amounting to 14 per cent of the entire workforce.
What's more part-time workers actually travel more than full-time workers, often because of integrating child care commitments.
Families are a valuable asset to the economy but this lack of flexible ticketing can mean parents cannot afford to take up part time work, and are in effect being priced off our railways and out of work. This rapid change in working patterns needs to be reflected with flexible fares and ticketing options available to all rail commuters.
There was a glimmer of good news when in October 2013, The Department for Transport pledged to trial part-time season tickets on a London commuter route. However, although the trial was originally intended to run in 2014, no date has been set for it to begin and no line has yet been agreed. Since then there has been no news of when or where this trial will take place - although London Mayor Boris Johnson who together with Transport for London, have pledged to introduce flexible ticketing in early 2015.
Watch this space...
