The DfT has given more details of new ticketing initiatives designed to improve the quality of rail travel for passengers.

These include a cap on the most expensive ticket prices (£250 for a standard single and £500 for a standard return) a standardised process for dealing with passengers with incorrect or no ticket; a “significant expansion” of the National Rail Enquiries website including the ATOC ‘Guide to Tickets’; and a new ORR code of practice on ticketing information.

The ORR is also to conduct a study into tickets to “consider whether current markets are operating efficiently, effectively, and in the best interests of passengers and taxpayers”.

Franchise bidders will have to put more emphasis on their commitment to passenger services, retail and ticketing systems, while ATOC has agree to release the results of annual surveys of passengers about ticket office staff, machines and websites.

The DfT has also pledged action on smart ticketing, with the delivery of the £45m South East Flexible Ticketing programme from next summer, and smart ticketing across the English rail network from 2015.

Baker said: “The Coalition Government is determined to give rail passengers a better deal. This means embracing new technology like smartcards, with all the advantages that can bring, and giving the passenger a greater voice in the future.

“These measures, coupled with the radical ticketing changes I announced earlier this week, constitute a raft of improvements and greater flexibility for passengers.”

The new measures follow earlier announcements on single-leg pricing and flexible ticketing, under which commuters could be able to buy part-time season tickets.

The full Fares and Ticketing Review will be published shortly.