As a weekly traveller on the East Coast mainline I’ve benefited from buying tickets online in advance over the last 12 months.

The best value fares are always available on the web rather than at a ticket office, often at a discount.

But a report published this morning on the UK rail industry by the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee says that this situation promotes social exclusion and is unacceptable.

It’s a tricky issue. Moving a business model online so that it become self-service removes costs which can be passed on to the customer. But those without online access or the motivation to go online miss out.

This scenario is repeated in many other areas of life as front line services move online from banks and traditional Post Office services, through to local authoraties and utilities.

The Public Accounts Committee stops short of recommending a solution. Expect the issue to be picked up by a special interest group such as the Citizens Advice Bureau.