UK Rail Industry Comments on Recent Fare Changes
Average train ticket prices have risen by 3.4% across the UK, in the biggest increase to fares since 2013. Many fares are frozen until 2020, although on 2 January 2018, some fares changed on parts of the UK’s rail network.
As with previous years, the Government sets a national policy for regulated fares – that policy says this year fares should increase by no more than 3.6%, based on the inflation rate.
Rail Fare Changes
Other fares, where customers have more choice about how and when to travel, are set by rail companies to enable them to make payments to government to fund further improvements to the railway.
In Scotland, selected regulated peak fares, including Anytime and Season tickets, are set to the level of the Retail Price Index (RPI), and one per cent below RPI for regulated Off-Peak fares.
In Wales, regulated rail fares are capped at the rate of RPI until at least October 2018.
Building the Network Britain Needs
Commenting on the day fares changes take effect, Paul Plummer, chief executive of the Rail Delivery Group, which brings together train operators and Network Rail to enable a better railway, said:
“On average, fares will rise by less than inflation this year. For every pound paid in fares, 97p goes directly back to operating and improving services and, with more people travelling, that means more money for investment by the private and public partnership railway to build the better network Britain needs.
“Working together in partnership across the industry and with government our long-term plan to improve will secure £85bn of additional economic benefits while enabling further investment and improvement for customers, communities and our people. Over the next 18 months alone the country will see an unprecedented transformation in rail services, including dramatic improvements across the Thameslink network and through the Great North Rail Project.”
Press information © Rail Delivery Group.
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