Train fares rise by 4.6% as railcards also become more expensive
Commuters find their tickets more expensive this morning
Train fares in England and Wales increased over the weekend by around 4.6% , while railcards also become more expensive, despite record low reliability of services.
Public transport campaigners have warned the rise will place additional financial strain on commuters, with many facing annual travel costs increasing by hundreds of pounds. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander acknowledged frustrations, stating: "Passengers are frustrated."
The UK Government has set the cap for regulated fare increases in England at 4.6%. This applies to season tickets for most commuter routes, some off-peak return tickets on long-distance services, and flexible travel tickets for major cities. The increase will add approximately £187 to an annual season ticket from Woking to London, while a York to Leeds pass will rise by around £133.
Operators set prices for unregulated fares, but these are also expected to rise by a similar percentage, as their finances are closely controlled by governments. The Welsh Government has matched the fare cap set by Westminster, while Transport for Wales will apply various increases to unregulated fares.
Transport for London will also increase Tube and rail fares by 4.6% , though bus and tram fares will remain unchanged.
From Sunday, railcards in Britain, excluding those for disabled passengers, have risen in price for the first time since 2013. The cost of a three-year card will go up from £70 to £80, while a one-year card will increase from £30 to £35.
Ms 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."
She added that her "number one priority" is restoring reliability in the rail network by bringing operators into public ownership and establishing the new public sector body, Great British Railways, to oversee operations and infrastructure.
Michael Solomon Williams, from the 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."
Alex Robertson, chief executive of passenger watchdog Transport Focus, said: "Our research shows there is a clear mismatch between ticket prices and the service people receive. This needs to change." He acknowledged the challenge of balancing rail funding between fares and taxation but stressed that passengers "rightly expect... to see improvements for the money they have paid".
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."
Analysis of data from the rail regulator by the PA news agency, found reliability on Britain's railways has reached a record low, with the equivalent of more than one in 25 services cancelled in the year to 1 February. Several operators are experiencing performance issues due to industrial disputes and staffing shortages.
Meanwhile, the Scottish Government will increase all ScotRail fares by 3.8% from 1 April.
Rail, Maritime and Transport union general secretary Mick Lynch said: "We have strongly supported the Government's proposals for a publicly-owned Great British Railways, and we now want to work with ministers to build on this good start, developing a plan that could fund a fare freeze for passengers. Bringing outsourced rail contracts - including cleaning, catering, and track renewals - back in-house as they expire, and taking action on the profiteering of rolling stock leasing companies, could save £630 million a year, enough to fully fund a fare freeze."