What changes are being brought in for rail fares and how will it affect me?
It should mean the end of ticket splitting to save money on train fares and no more confusing ticket machines
Simon Meechan
A person buying a train ticket
The days of split tickets and confusing overpriced rail fares could soon be over.
In May, selected routes will trial a new ticketing system which aims to save passengers money on their rail travel.
The overhaul should mean rail passengers are offered the cheapest available fares instead of paying over the odds when they could have travelled for less.
Some fares for long journeys with connections will be removed from the ticket system as cheaper alternative fares exist.
There is also a plan to make it easier to use and understand ticket machines.
There are over 16 million different rail fares in the UK, some of which have may never have even been bought. The director of the Rail Delivery Group - the body which represents Britain's 23 operating companies - says it is difficult to offer passengers their best option on ticket machines, as there are just too many fares and complex regulations.
The Group is pledging to work with the Government to "cut out red tape, jargon and complication" and make it easier for passengers to buy the right fares.
Could new cheaper rail fares spell the end for split ticketing?
Previous research has found one in 20 passengers have been sold overpriced fares by ticket machines.
Ticket machines have been found to promote expensive fares and "bury" cheaper ones, according to an investigation by the Telegraph.
Clever passengers have managed to save money by "splitting" tickets. The new changes, if successful, should hopefully mean passengers can save money without having to do that.
What is ticket splitting?
Splitting rail tickets is an entirely legal loophole in which people can save money by buying a different ticket for different stages of their journey - even if they are staying on the same train the whole time. Some have saved up to 87%.
A Newcastle United fan travelling to Oxford for Saturday's cup tie reportedly used ticket splitting to save money on his travel. In total, he used 56 tickets for his and his girlfriend's return journey, and says he saved £60.
When will it happen in the North East?
The trials begin in May, and include CrossCountry and Virgin East Coast services, both of which run through the North East.
Rail Delivery Group director of customer experience Jacqueline Starr said: "We know customers can find it hard to get the right ticket for their journey due to complex rules and regulations built up by governments over decades.
"There are more than 16 million different train fares, many of which nobody has ever bought. This also makes it more difficult to give passengers the right, simple options on ticket machines.
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"Working with Government, we're determined to overhaul the system to cut out red tape, jargon and complication to make it easier for customers to buy fares they can trust, including from ticket machines."
Lianna Etkind, public transport campaigner at the Campaign for Better Transport, welcomed plans to simplify the "horribly complicated" fares system, but called for the introduction of "long overdue" part-time season tickets.
She also urged rail companies to protect station staffing levels, as ticket vending machines "cannot replace trained, visible members of staff."
Newcastle Central Station