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Train fares in England and Wales will rise by about 4.6 per cent from Sunday, while railcards become more expensive for the first time in more than a decade.
The increases comes despite persistent issues with train reliability, drawing criticism from public transport advocates. The Scottish Government will increase all ScotRail fares by 3.8 per cent from April 1.
The rise on regulated fares for season tickets, some off-peak return tickets on long-distance routes, and flexible tickets for travel around major cities means many commuters face hundreds of pounds more in annual travel costs. The UK Government set the cap of 4.6 per cent for England’s increases in regulated fares.
See below for the cost increase for several popular routes.
The price of railcards will also increase, adding to the overall cost for passengers.
This will add around £187 to the cost of an annual season ticket from Woking to London, with a York to Leeds 12-month pass becoming approximately £133 more expensive.
Operators set rises in unregulated fares, although these are also likely to rise by around 4.6 per cent as their finances are closely controlled by governments.
The Welsh Government matched the Westminster administration’s cap on rises in regulated fares while Transport for Wales is applying various increases to its unregulated fares.
Transport for London will increase Tube and rail fares in the capital by 4.6 per cent from Sunday but bus and tram fares will be frozen.
Railcards in Britain – excluding those specifically for disabled passengers – also become more expensive for the first time since 2013 from Sunday.
The price of a three-year card rises from £70 to £80, while a one-year card increases from £30 to £35.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: “I understand that passengers are frustrated rail fares keep rising despite unacceptable levels of delays and cancellations, which is why this Government made sure this was the lowest increase in three years, and below the growth in average earnings.
“We inherited a railway that was not fit for purpose, and I know it will take time for trust to be restored, with trains turning up on time, when and where they’re needed.”
She added her “number one priority” is getting the railways “back to a place where people can rely on them”, through bringing operators into public ownership and creating new public sector body Great British Railways to oversee train operation and rail infrastructure.
Michael Solomon Williams, of lobby group Campaign for Better Transport, said: “With food and energy costs going up, today’s rail fare rise will pile further misery on hard-pressed households.
“Cost is the number one barrier to getting more people travelling by rail, so the Government must address the rising cost of train travel as part of its forthcoming rail reforms.”
He warned that support for a publicly owned railway “all but vanishes if fares were to continue to increase”.
A spokesperson for the Rail Delivery Group, which represents operators, said: “The money people pay for their train tickets keeps services running and helps to fund important improvements.
“Sometimes the reliability of these services falls below expectations, and we are determined to fix that.”
Here are 10 examples of potential rail fare rises in England and Wales:
Figures are based on an increase of 4.6 per cent.
The table compares the cost of season tickets using any valid route bought before and after the rise.
It does not include the price paid if within-London travelcards are purchased for Tube and bus journeys in the capital.
– Annual season tickets:
ROUTE – PREVIOUS PRICE – PRICE AFTER 4.6% RISE – INCREASE
Woking to London – £4,072 – £4,259 – £187
Gloucester to Birmingham – £5,148 – £5,385 – £237
Whitehaven to Carlisle – £2,396 – £2,506 – £110
York to Leeds – £2,896 – £3,029 – £133
Newport to Cardiff – £988 – £1,033 – £45
– Flexi tickets for travel two days per week over a year:
ROUTE – PREVIOUS PRICE – PRICE AFTER 4.6% RISE – INCREASE
Welwyn Garden City to London – £1,941.60 – £2,030,90 – £89.30
Liverpool to Manchester – £1,982.40 – £2,073.60 – £91.20
Cambridge to London – £4,418.40 – £4,621.60 – £203.20
Ipswich to Peterborough – £4,729.20 – £4,946.70 – £217.50
Bath Spa to Bristol Temple Meads – £1,008 – £1,054.40 – £46.40
Source: independent.co.uk
