18.08.15
Rail fares to rise by 1% in England
Regulated rail fares will rise by 1% from January 2016, in line with the Retail Prices Index (RPI) July inflation figure, released today (18 August).
The price increase will be the same as the RPI figure after the government announced intentions to ‘freeze’ regulated rail fares for this parliament at the RPI inflation rate, rather than the RPI+1% policy previously. In reality, for the last two years the government ignored its own policy anyway and kept the rise at the same as RPI.
David Sidebottom, passenger director at independent transport watchdog Transport Focus, said: “Fares are set to increase again, but passengers will be relieved to see that fare rises in England are being capped at inflation.
“They will be pleased to see that there is no flexibility for individual fares to go up by more than this. Both of these are things we have pushed for.”
However Sidebottom criticised the punctuality rates of TOCs due to poor performance “in the south east in particular”, for which Network Rail will have to pay a £2m fine.
The fare increase comes on the same day as nationwide unionised protests in response to an analysis by TUC, showing ticket costs increased by 25% over the last five years – despite average pay only growing by 9%.
Union figureheads and members are now calling for the railway industry to be returned to the public domain in order to amass “far bigger savings”.
However the government claimed this will be the lowest price increase since 2010 and the first time in over a decade that people’s earnings are rising faster than fares.
Rail minister Claire Perry MP said: “I know that many families are concerned about the cost of rail travel, which is why we are putting an end to above inflation fare increases. This will make a real difference to household budgets, saving season ticket holders around £425 each over the next five years.
“It also means that for first time since 2002 wages are increasing by more than fares, which is real progress for the passenger.”