Rail fares to increase by over three per cent next year
Average rail fares will rise by 3.1% next year, with new prices coming in on January 2.
The increase applies to fares regulated by the Government, including season tickets on many commuter routes, some off-peak return tickets on long-distance journeys and flexible tickets for major cities.
The price is determined by July’s retail price index (RPI), which was 3.2%.
Other fares are set by train operators.
The price hikes follow months of problems on the railways, including weeks of nationwide chaos when new timetables were brought in and on-going problems on rail services in London and the South East, including the services to Gatwick.
Train punctuality slipped to a 12-year low in the summer and 14% of services failed to meet the industry’s punctuality target in the 12 months to 10 November.
Rail Delivery Group chief executive Paul Plummer said: "Nobody wants to pay more to travel, especially those who experienced significant disruption earlier this year."
Lisa
Lisa joined Travel Weekly nearly 25 years ago as technology reporter and then sailed around the world for a couple of years as cruise correspondent, before becoming deputy editor. Now freelance, Lisa writes for various print and web publications, edits Corporate Traveller’s client magazine, Gateway, and works on the acclaimed Remembering Wildlife series of photography books, which raise awareness of nature’s most at-risk species and helps to fund their protection.
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