To offer an attractive alternative to the private car, rail travel needs to be as easy as possible to find out about and to use.
That is why the RDS Passenger Committee has produced an important new report, Easy Rail Travel, setting out many measures that can be taken by the train operators.
Some of the measures can be introduced at little or no cost — like standard symbols for station and train facilities, and information on opening times of booking offices and catering facilities.
Others require co-operation between operators but should be achievable given the will — such as through tickets between all stations of all railways.
In the case of Tyne & Wear Metro, Manchester Metrolink and similar systems, a zonal ticket would probably be the answer.
The RDS report calls for a Railcard to be available nationwide for people of all ages, such as now exists in some other European countries such as Germany and the Netherlands.
The report is available at £1.50 (post free) from RDS Sales, 89 North Wallington, Fareham, Hants PO16 8TJ
You can email Railwatch editor Ray King at editor@railwatch.org.uk (or just click on this link), e-mail Deltic Design with comments about the Railwatch Web pages, or visit their web site.
RiscPC