‘This is fraud’: fury at government decision not to extend railcard validity

Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Get Simon Calder’s Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A leading rail expert has described the government’s decision not to compensate railcard holders for the months in which they could not travel by train as “fraud”. “Whilst I'd love to come back to the trains, it grates a bit when I've been a railcard holder for years.” A spokesperson for the RDG said: “We understand the restrictions due to Covid means some railcard customers haven’t made all of the journeys they had planned. “Extending railcards for over 5.1 million people would come at a significant cost to the taxpayer which is why the government has confirmed to us that railcards will not be extended.” In a note to customers, the RDG appears to pin the blame for the delay on the DfT, saying: “The rail industry and the government have been working together on numerous proposals to try and find a way forward for railcard customers. “Unfortunately, these conversations take time, especially when they happen at the highest level.” A DfT spokesperson said: “Passengers deserve punctual and reliable journeys at a fair price which is why we are investing billions into modernising the network and working with industry to try to provide commuters with more flexibility and better value.” The coach operator National Express, which did not operate in April, May or June, has automatically added six months’ validity to all coachcards that were valid on 1 March 2020 or bought during that month.