Trainline pledges to co-operate with CMA as shares derailed by probe

(Alliance News) - Trainline PLC on Wednesday said it will continue to work constructively with the UK Competition & Markets Authority, after the regulator announced an investigation into drip pricing.

News of the probe sent shares in the London-based rail and coach travel ticketing platform down 15% to 206.32 pence each in London on Wednesday morning, by far the worst performing stock in the FTSE 250 index, which itself was marginally lower.

The CMA said its investigation will focus on concerns that customers were not shown the total price upfront when buying train and coach tickets.

The investigation is part of a wider CMA clampdown on misleading pricing practices, including where mandatory charges are separated from the headline price - or added later in the buying process, known as drip pricing.

These practices leave consumers facing unexpected costs or having to calculate the true cost themselves, the CMA claimed.

In additional to Trainline, the regulator is looking into practices at airline Virgin Atlantic and Red Driving School.

Trainline itself is being investigated over whether all mandatory fees have been included in the upfront prices displayed to consumers buying train and coach tickets in advance on the Trainline app and website.

For train travel, the CMA observed transactions with fees ranging from GBP0.59 to GBP2.79. For coach bookings, it was a GBP1.50 booking fee.

All firms under investigation were sent 'advisory letters' as part of the CMA's first consumer protection drive using new enforcement powers.

The letters put the businesses on notice and reminded them of their obligations under consumer law, but the CMA said it remains concerned about their pricing practices following ongoing monitoring.

In a brief statement, Trainline said it is committed to delivering "genuine value".

"Trainline has proactively engaged with the CMA over several months and is taking steps to enhance the presentation of certain fees. We will continue to work constructively with the CMA to ensure our customer experience remains both transparent and compliant," it said.

By Jeremy Cutler, Alliance News reporter

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