A commuter who regularly travels from Barrow to Preston wrote into The Mail to ask why journeys from Roose to the same destination can be more expensive.

Barrow is the first stop on the Furness line which is operated by Northern Rail and runs to Manchester Airport.

The next stop is Roose however the Mail has discovered that booking a journey on an average weekday, via the National Rail website, will give you a number of cheaper options from Barrow.

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There are 12 journeys which are significantly cheaper if you travel to Preston from Barrow - as opposed to the closer station, Roose. 

Journeys from Roose to Preston remain fixed at £25.80 over each day weekday no matter what time of day.

The Mail: Comparison of morning train to Preston from both Barrow and RooseTravelling on the same train from Barrow to Preston, however, can be almost £16 cheaper depending on which journey you select.

A sample day of Friday, May 24 shows that there are eight journeys from Barrow are priced at £15.80.

Later in the evening offers, the fares from Barrow get even cheaper with the 13:52 and 19:45 trains costing £13.50 and 18:56 and 21:25 trains just £10.

The reason for the price discrepancy appears to be Advance Purchase fares introduced by Northern Rail to encourage people to make the switch from road to rail.

According to Google maps, Barrow station is a 40 minute walk from Roose, so it is a decision for the commuter to make.

The Mail: Comparison of afternoon and evening prices to PrestonA spokesperson for Northern said: "Over the past two years we have introduced thousands of Advance Purchase fares across our network.

"To ensure the maximum number of people can benefit from those lower prices, we have prioritised popular journeys from the busiest stations – including from Barrow-in-Furness to Preston.

"Advance Purchase tickets are available from Roose station to other destinations, including Lancaster and Manchester."

According to the Northern Rail website, Advance Purchase tickets are usually released 12 weeks before the departure date - although some can go on sale as far as 24 weeks in advance.

There are a limited number of Advance Purchase tickets on any one train. By purchasing an Advance Purchase ticket customers are able to choose the best time to travel at the lowest available fare.