A new ticket scheme offering discounted rail fares for students has been launched.

Northern and TransPennine Express have teamed up to extend the 'U16 Education Season Ticket' scheme, allowing children to travel to school at half the regular price on participating services.

This initiative, which Northern has been operating for several years, is now being expanded to include TransPennine Express routes across the region.

In Manchester, this means students commuting from Stockport can benefit from the 50 per cent discount on tickets to Manchester stations including Deansgate, Oxford Road, Piccadilly, and Victoria.

Alex Hornby, the new commercial and customer director at Northern, said: "Northern has a long-running campaign to encourage students to convert their commute from road to rail – and we’re delighted to extend the scheme to even more stations by joining forces with our colleagues at TransPennine Express."

This move is part of an effort to make commuting easier and more affordable for students, while encouraging a shift from road to rail.

The ticket scheme is a collaboration between Northern and TransPennine Express, both owned by DfT OLR Holdings Limited (DOHL).

Darren Higgins, commercial director at TransPennine Express, said: "We’re pleased to be able to work with Northern to bring this fantastic offer to students which provides a significant saving on the cost of the school commute – and Education Season tickets can be used at weekends and bank holidays too."

The scheme is not limited to Manchester, with various routes across the region included in the discounted offer.

These include York to Leeds, Seamer, and Scarborough; Malton to York and Scarborough; Northallerton to Middlesbrough and York; and more.

Robin Gisby, chief executive of DOHL, said: "We are pleased to see Northern and TransPennine Express, two operators within the DOHL Group, join forces to extend the U16 Education Season Ticket scheme.

"This collaboration is a testament to the synergy within the Group and we look forward to seeing the positive impact it will have on the communities we serve."

More information and details on how to purchase a ticket can be found on the Northern Railway website.