Avanti Ticket Vending Machines
Affordable, accessible and reliable public transport is good for everyone; it is essential for both social inclusion and environmental sustainability.
Recent initiatives to promote affordability are warmly welcomed. The Government’s announcement at the 2025 Budget to freeze regulated rail fares for the first time in 30 years was a great step. Locally, our Labour Metro Mayor, Andy Burnham, continues to lead excellent work on Bus, Tram and Rail integration into the Bee Network throughout Greater Manchester. As such the recent change to simplify ticket options across our city region, ahead of rail integration into the Bee Network, is another essential step towards making rail more accessible.
From Sunday 7th December 2025, passengers traveling between two railway stations in Greater Manchester, and buying a ticket on the day of travel, are offered just two simple options; ‘Anytime’ or ‘Off-Peak’. Importantly, Single tickets are now always half the cost of a Return ticket. These changes apply to all 96 stations in Greater Manchester and all train operators working across our city region. Importantly, these changes should apply online, at ticket offices and at ticket vending machines (TVMs).
These changes should eliminate confusion caused by the patchwork nature of our privatised rail sector. However, it appears that Avanti West Coast’s ticket vending machines have not yet been updated to reflect this simplified system in a clear and accessible way. Specifically, the machines do not provide straightforward, upfront information about the new fare structure. Instead, the “Quick Buy” option often defaults to selling an Anytime ticket, even during off-peak periods, without clearly presenting more affordable alternatives.
This issue is having a real financial impact on passengers travelling from Stockport who, in some cases, may unknowingly purchase more expensive tickets than necessary.
Having raised this with Avanti West Coast, I have now been informed that Avanti is still working to incorporate the ‘Off-Peak’ fare into the ‘Quick Buy’ function on their TVMs. I am told staff at Avanti are working to accelerate this process and are looking to explore options to bring forward full implementation. However, presently this is still estimated to be completed within the next 12 to 14 weeks
I welcome Avanti’s action on this but I urge them to move at pace with integrating this change into the ‘Quick Buy’ option. While I acknowledge that work is ongoing; in my view, the current timescale is simply too long.
In the meantime, I am aware Avanti are taking steps to communicate the retail options available to customers using TVMs at Stockport train station and Manchester Piccadilly train station. I would encourage customers to ask train station staff for assistance should they have any queries when purchasing a ticket at a TVM. According to National Rail, ‘Off-peak’ fares are generally valid from 09.30 to 16:00 and from 18:30 onwards on weekdays, and anytime at weekends and on bank holidays.
I would like to give my thanks to all staff at Stockport train station, as well as all stations across Greater Manchester. Station staff do an invaluable job at keeping rail customers safe and informed; the preservation of a strong staff presence at our stations is imperative to delivering accessible and reliable rail. I would also like to thank Councillor Jon Byrne (Manor Ward, Stockport Council) for his work on this issue and for bringing it to my attention, as well as the constituents and other concerned parties who have raised this matter with me.
I will continue to monitor this and work with parliamentary colleagues to push for a standardised approach to train ticketing across our city region.