HC Deb 20 November 2000 vol 357 cc21-2W
Mr. Burstow

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what progress his Department has made in ensuring that all automatic train ticket machines have facilities for accepting rail cards held by disabled people; [138782]

(2) if his Department will take steps to ensure that all automatic train ticket machines are able to provide discounted tickets to groups of people with a statutory entitlement to a discounted fare. [138781]

Mr. Hill

Automatic ticket machines inherited by train operators from British Rail offer a limited number of ticket options and train operators have had to decide which tickets to include on the basis of greatest demand. The new generation ticket machines gradually being introduced by train operators will allow a wider range of tickets to be sold and we expect train operators to include discounted tickets for Disabled Persons Railcard holders.