Rail operators are scrapping printed timetables as part of a multi million-pound cost cutting exercise, sparking claims that passengers’ personal safety is being put at risk.

Pocket and poster timetables will be withdrawn and replaced with QR codes. Passenger groups said the move could prove dangerous at unstaffed stations late at night, as well as excluding some rail users.

The Department for Transport is under pressure to cut costs after spending more than £10bn to keep services running during the pandemic.

The Treasury has stressed that the DfT is not a “protected” department, meaning it could be on the receiving end of swingeing cuts as Rishi Sunak sets out his spending review this week.

A White Paper, published alongside a Government review of the railways earlier this year, championed the need to “modernise” the network with staff on hand to help those who struggle with paperless tickets or looking up timetables online.

Jacqueline Starr, chief executive of the Rail Delivery Group, which represents operators, said: “Over £20m is being invested across the railway to make it easier for people to get all the information they want, when and how they want it.

“Printed timetables cost around £2m a year and are used by 1pc of passengers, which is why we’re in discussions with the Government about redirecting this money to invest in better, real time information and prevent a significant amount of paper being used unnecessarily.”