More misery for commuters as figure used to decide season ticket fares hits highest rate in 40 years
Train fares could soar after the inflation figure usually used to decide ticket prices hit its highest level in 40 years.
Data from the Office for National Statistics showed July’s Retail Prices Index (RPI) inflation was 12.3 per cent – up from 11.8 per cent in June and the highest since January 1982.
The RPI figure in July is usually used by the UK, Scottish and Welsh Governments to decide the cap on regulated train fares the next year, which includes most season tickets on commuter routes. Unregulated fares are set by train operators.
The Department for Transport announced on Monday that the 2023 increase in regulated fares in England will be below the inflation measurement.
Wales usually makes similar fare changes to England, while the Scottish Government has not announced its plan for 2023.
Rail services across the country will be impacted as thousands of workers walk out on strike on Thursday and Saturday. Pictured is Waterloo station during the national rail strike on June 21
Workers from the RMT, TSSA and Unite unions will go on strike on two days this week. Pictured is a sign announcing the strike action at Waterloo station
Fares in Northern Ireland are set by operator Translink, which does not use RPI.
Chris Page, chair of pressure group Railfuture, said: ‘The Government claims that the fare rise will be below inflation, but the devil will be in the detail.
‘They won’t say what the increase will be, or which fares it will apply to.
‘If the Government was serious about tackling the cost-of-living crisis it would make rail travel much more affordable and make it easier for people to use cars and planes less.
‘Germany has shown the way with its nine euro (£7.58) travelcard offer.
‘It proves that if the price is right, people will flock to the trains.’
Passengers are braced for more rail strikes on Thursday and Saturday, with only around a fifth of Britain’s train services operating and just half of lines open.
Just a fifth of the UK’s trains will run on Thursday August 18 and Saturday August 20 because of the rail workers strike.
Thousands of members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union, Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association and Unite at Network Rail and 14 train companies will strike in the long-running row over pay, jobs and conditions.
Analysis of Office of Rail and Road data by the PA news agency published on Tuesday found that industrial disputes, severe weather and coronavirus-related staff sickness caused the worst year for train reliability in Britain since records began.
The cancellations score in the 12 months to July 23 was 3.6%, which is the highest figure in records dating back to 2015.