Where I'm originally from(Poland) it was the same - I was summoned to court, after the trial I went to the clerk, said where I drove from and was paid cash for fuel. Had I taken the train it would have been refunded fully.
Is this the same regardless of your role in the trial?
Over here (Finland), if you are witness, you are compensated (meagerly, not always reasonable).
If you are the accused, you pay for your own travel - so the professional criminal class just skips the trial, thereby causing lot of unnecessary hassle to witnesses and injured parties. Then a new trial date is set, and on the nth try the police might pick up the accused, and bring him or her to trial (at no cost), then to be released on a conditional discharge.
According to [0](sorry, in Polish) both sides can get the money back for costs of getting to/back from court, not just the accusing/witness.
Not sure about UK.
