UK rail industry luring commuters into the office with Greggs bacon butties

The Commuter Rewards Program offers commuters prizes and gifts for taking the train during peak times. Photo / Pexels

Of the pros and cons involved with working from home, we can likely all agree that the lack of commute is a massive benefit.

After weeks or months of rolling out of bed minutes before the workday starts, the thought of waking up hours earlier to catch your train, bus or ferry into work seems unimaginable.

It's no surprise when countries like the UK lifted their 'work from home' recommendation, people weren't exactly racing back into the office.

In the UK the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) found peak-time passenger numbers rose just 5 per cent after the government's change in advice last week.

Rail passenger numbers remain around half of what they were pre-pandemic.

Fortunately, RDG has a strategy for luring workers back onto peak-time trains and into the office; bacon butties.

As part of a new scheme, RDG will give away commuter-friendly freebies such as Pure takeaway coffee, app and entertainment subscriptions and Greggs bacon sandwiches.

It's reported that up to 1000 butties are up for grabs.

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Plant-based passengers may be more excited at the prospect of a one-month subscription to The Mindfulness App or a two-month subscription with audiobooks.com.

To enter online, commuters must visit a dedicated website, select the reward they want and provide information about their typical train journey.

In a press release, RDG said they hoped the prizes would "help rail users make the most of their 'me-time' on the train."

Commuters can sign up to receive prizes, online. Photo / National Rail UK

Whether the prospect of a Greggs Bacon Roll (which costs around £1.75) will entice workers back into the office, only time will tell.

Pure boss Spencer Craig told The Independent they were excited to be part of the initiative.

"Like most businesses that rely on the commuter market, we saw our customer base drop by over 50 per cent due to the work-from-home restrictions coming into force, and rail commuters no longer coming into the city," he said.