A scheme to effectively scrap return train tickets will be extended on one of the UK’s most-used services, with the likelihood that it will be rolled out across the whole of the network if it proves a success.

The system, first trialled in 2020, will only allow users to buy a one-way ticket when using the East Coast mainline which runs from London Kings Cross, through Yorkshire, and onwards to Edinburgh and beyond, with Transport Secretary Mark Harper insisting the idea was to make life simpler for users, and offer “better value”.

UK trains are among the most expensive in Europe, a recent survey putting them high on a league table alongside Norway and Austria. There are currently around 55 million fares available in the UK, with rail users struggling to identify the best for them, and under the new scheme, a single will always be half the cost of the return price.

The East Coast line is operated by London North Eastern Railways (LNER), and is one of the few train operators that is publicly-owned, with the reforms outlined creating a system designed for easy sale through purchase channels currently available: internet, contactless and ticket machines at stations.

“This is not about increasing fares,” said the Transport Secretary. “I just want passengers to benefit from simpler ticketing that meets their needs.”