LONDON: Campaigners are protesting at railway stations across the country as it was confirmed rail fares in England would rise by an average of 4.1 percent in January — and some could rise by more than 9 percent.
The rise will add around £200 to the cost of many commuters’ season tickets.
Under government policy to make passengers shoulder substantially more of the cost of the railway than taxpayers, regulated fares – off-peak intercity tickets and season tickets – are to rise by 1 percent above inflation. The measure is fixed by July’s RPI figure, which was announced yesterday morning as 3.1 percent.
Train operators are allowed to raise some fares by an additional 5 percent, so long as the average remains under the cap. That means some fares could rise by as much as 9.1 percent.
Last year commuters in Kent were among the hardest hit as fares rose beyond the RPI+1 percent cap, lifting many season tickets to £5,820 for travel on high-speed services into London. Yesterday’s inflation figures mean they face a likely rise of £238 and potentially as much as £519.
The Trades Union Congress and the Action for Rail campaign group are staging demonstrations at almost 50 stations.
The Guardian
