AN MP has called for commuters to have the right to buy part-time season tickets.

Caroline Lucas, the Green MP for Brighton Pavilion, said though this was promised in the Conservative manifesto in 2015, it has not been delivered.

She said the Government has committed only to a trial of flexible season tickets – and the trial system announced at the beginning of this year for Govia Thameslink (GTR) required passengers to be travelling on consecutive days.

Ms Lucas has tabled a question in Parliament asking the Transport Secretary Grant Shapps to bring forward proposals requiring all rail franchisees to offer part-time season tickets.

The Green MP has been pushing for several years for rail companies to be required to offer part-time season tickets.

She said the expected change in work patterns as a result of coronavirus made the issue even more important as many more people are likely to be working from home at least some of the time.

She said: “Coronavirus is dramatically changing people’s patterns of work and it’s time the rail companies and ministers caught up.

“It’s completely unfair that commuters who don’t travel every day are denied the right to the savings offered by buying a season ticket.

“We’ve had promises and pilots for years. It’s way past the time for ministers to accept the reality of 21st century working, and require rail companies by law to offer part-time season tickets which can be used completely flexibly.

“The collapse in train use during lockdown has created a key moment which ministers must use to build a new fair fare structure that works for part-time workers.”