Northern is offering 12 weeks of free travel to 'office influencers.'

The train operator believes these individuals could persuade commuters to switch from road to rail.

Northern sees these influencers as key to a potential organisational travel shift.

Their support for schemes like the Employee Season Tickets is considered vital for encouraging others to take up the offer.

These annual tickets provide 12 weeks of free travel to work and can be paid for monthly, with interest-free instalments deducted directly from salaries.

The tickets can be used every day of the year, offering further savings for employees travelling the same route outside of their commute.

Mark Powles, commercial and customer director at Northern, said: "Every workplace has its influencers and what better way for them to raise their ‘street cred’ with their colleagues than by bagging them 12 weeks free travel to work.

"We’re always looking for ways to encourage people to make the transition from road to rail – and if we can convince those with clout among their peers to sign-up and spread the word, we’re confident others will follow."

Northern says organisations on the Employee Season Ticket Scheme are not only helping to cut the cost of their workforce’s commute, but also promoting sustainable travel and reducing the region’s carbon footprint.

Northern is the second largest train operator in the UK, with 2,500 services a day to more than 500 stations across the North of England.