Britain: Rail fares will rise by an average of 1.1% from 2 January, 2016

The increase, which comes into effect on 2 January, 2016, is the smallest rise in rail fares for six years.


The increases are the smallest in six years

Rail fares will rise by an average of 1.1% from 2 January, 2016, rail industry body the Rail Delivery Group has announced.

The rise - which covers all national rail fares - is the smallest annual increase for six years.

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Paul Plummer, chief executive of the Rail Delivery Group which represents train operators and Network Rail, said: "On average 97p in every pound from fares is spent on trains, staff and other running costs.

"With passenger numbers doubling in the last 20 years, money from fares now almost covers the railway's day-to-day operating costs.

"This allows government to focus its funding on building a bigger, better network when the railway is becoming increasingly important at driving economic growth, underpinning jobs, and connecting friends and families.

"As an industry, we are working closer together to deliver better stations, more trains and improved services, and to get more out of every pound we spend."

But Martin Abrams, of the Campaign for Better Transport, claimed more work was needed to achieve a "truly affordable railway".

He stated that fares have risen by over 25% in the last five years.

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He said: "To avoid pricing people off the railways, the train operating companies and the Government need to work closely together to provide fairer, simpler and cheaper fares through flexible ticketing and making sure people are always sold the cheapest ticket available."

Mr Abrams said it was "simply unfair" that flexible ticketing has not yet been introduced.

This has led many part-time workers to "fork out for five-day season tickets which don't give them the same savings that full-time commuters get", Mr Abrams said.

Although the 2016 rise for regulated fares is limited to no more than 1% - as it is linked to July's rate of Retail Price Index (RPI) inflation - unregulated fares, such as off-peak leisure tickets, can go up by as much as the train companies like.

Rail Minister Claire Perry said the Government was "helping hard-working people with the cost of transport".

She added that the decision to link regulated fare increases to no more than RPI will save the average season ticket holder £425 by 2020.

"Our plan for passengers is improving journeys for everyone. It's transforming the tickets people buy, how much they pay for them, the trains they sit on, how quickly they arrive and the stations they arrive in," she said.

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