Publication of Williams-Shapps Plan for UK Rail

Trainline plc ("Trainline" or the "Company")

Publication of Williams-Shapps Plan for UK Rail

20 May 2021

Trainline notes the publication of the Williams-Shapps Plan for UK Rail published this morning, which is available to view on the UK Government's website:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/great-british-railways-williams-shapps-plan-for-rail 

Trainline is supportive of the Williams-Shapps Plan's findings and recommendations, which are broadly in line with the Company's expectations. Trainline expects that the plan's proposals, which will need to be developed and subsequently implemented over the next several years, should improve the experience for rail passengers and drive efficiency for the wider industry. The Company believes the proposals will provide Trainline with new opportunities to innovate for the benefit of customers and further grow its business.

Jody Ford, CEO of Trainline said:

"Trainline has a long track record in leading the way on innovation in the sector and Keith Williams highlighted Trainline as an important innovator and partner for the rail industry when he initially announced the direction of the review. Grant Shapps, in his statement to Parliament this morning, said "We'll welcome independent retailers continuing to compete in the retail ticket market, particularly where they can grow new markets, recognising the value of private sector innovation"

"We are hugely encouraged by the commitment to digital ticketing, which Trainline has championed over the last several years, and the introduction of flexi tickets and digital season tickets which will provide new growth opportunities in the evolving commuter market.

 
"Our presence in the market for over 20 years provides us with an innate understanding of how people travel. During this time, we have built knowledge, scale, partnerships and technology capabilities to provide customers with a simple, consistent and friction-free travel booking experience via our 4.9 star app, which we believe is a huge differentiator and difficult to replicate. As a long-term partner and technology provider to the UK rail industry, we look forward to working with the government in formulating the detail around future ticketing proposals."

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About Trainline

Trainline (www.trainline.com) is the leading independent rail and coach travel platform selling rail and coach tickets to millions of travellers worldwide, enabling them to seamlessly search, book and manage their journeys all in one place via its highly rated website and mobile app. Trainline is a one‐stop shop for rail and coach travel bringing together millions of routes, fares and journey times from more than 270 rail and coach carriers across 45 countries.