First class carriages on trains to be scrapped

  • Travel

First class carriages on trains are to be scrapped on busy suburban routes.

This will free up space for commuters who often find themselves having to stand.

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said passengers should no longer be segregated and pledged the Government will stipulate this in future deals.

The Government is also working on "smart ticketing" plans that would mean the end of paper tickets and would also allow travellers to receive automatic compensation payments for late trains, he said.

'Smart ticketing' will also allow passengers to get automatic refunds for late trains. Credit: PA

Mr Grayling, who travels to Westminster by train every day, told the Daily Telegraph: "I absolutely understand what a total pain it is if you are standing on a train for 20-30 minutes on the way to work.

"I don't really see a case for a non-longer distance journey for there to be any division between first and second class. There should just be one class on the train.

"We have got rid of it on some of the trains in south east London as part of the new franchise ... people will see less first class in the future as we start to say that on busy suburban trains you can't start segregating."