Increase in rail fares criticised as off-putting for commuters

Rail fares have this week increased by an average of 2.6 per cent – above the rate of inflation for the first time in seven years.

The Government has said that the additional 1 per cent rise above RPI inflation is to cover the costs of propping up rail services during the pandemic when fewer people travelled and revenues suffered.

The fare increase was delayed for two months to allow commuters the chance to renew season tickets at old prices.

Despite a seven-year freeze against prices rising higher than inflation, this hike ‘is the lowest actual increase in price in four years’, according to the Department for Transport (DfT).

A spokesman said: “In total, the Government anticipates providing around £10billion to protect the railway through its emergency agreements with rail operators.

“Passengers returning to the railway deserve punctual and reliable journeys at a fair price.”

The cost increase is down to the losses made during ‘emergency action’ to keep the trains running for key workers, transferring all revenue and cost risk to the Government.

Labour MP for Slough, Tan Dhesi, has spoken out against the decision on Twitter, saying that this move could discourage commuters and damage city centres.

Despite calls from Labour, the Tory Govt has gone ahead with its inflation busting rail fare increase.
With lockdown gradually easing, we should be encouraging people back onto our railways, instead of making rail unaffordable by hurting our city centres.https://t.co/AvjXqSUVIh

— Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi MP (@TanDhesi) March 1, 2021

 Work is ongoing on attempts to mitigate the rail fare increase. The DfT says it has written to all rail operators to ask that they begin immediate work on developing a flexible season ticket.

These new flexible season tickets will be introduced across England this year. Once introduced, it could save commuters hundreds of pounds on their fares, the Government said.

A spokesman for operator Great Western Railway (GWR) said: “We continue to work with the Government to provide safe and reliable services during the pandemic and look forward to introducing more flexible ticket options to help support economic recovery from COVID-19 very shortly.”