West Worcestershire MP Harriett Baldwin has welcomed plans to boost public transport as conditions allow for further unlock of the economy.

The Department for Transport has this week unveiled a new national ticketing system to fit in with new working patterns as the country returns to workplaces after the pandemic.

Passengers will be able to buy paperless tickets will allow travel on any 8 days in a 28-day period, with passengers able to tap smartcards or scan mobiles at the station.

The new tickets are the first phase of major rail reforms being introduced after a national review of rail services which was published last month.

Harriett said:

“Many people are still working at home but as we complete the process of releasing national restrictions, I am sure more people will be returning to their places of work and opting to return to public transport.

“Of course, some people have adapted to working from home and we are not yet sure how much time people will spend in their offices, but it is important that the transport system adapts to allow people to travel if they want to.

“Over recent weeks, I have seen more people using the brand-new Worcestershire Parkway station and it is still one of the more convenient ways to make longer journeys and has a fast and regular service into Birmingham as well as London.

“Nationally, the Government continues to look at how we can invest to improve our railways including dualling the Cotswold Line and improving the car parking at Pershore.

“We’ve relied on railways for over a hundred years and I am convinced that trains will help us to reduce our dependence on cars to as we work towards achieving our net zero targets.”