Rail passengers will see fares rise by an average of 3.4% from 2 January, the industry announced on Tuesday.
It marks the largest fares hike for passengers since 2013, when fares increased by 3.9%.
The increase will cover both regulated fares, which includes season tickets, and unregulated tickets, which covers off-peak and leisure tickets.
The Rail Delivery Group (RDG) noted that the increase is below the regulated fares increase of 3.6%, which was July’s RPI measure.
Rail fares will rise on average by 3.4% in 2018. About 97p in every £1 from your fare goes back into running and improving services #investingtoimprove https://t.co/X2yg99bqes
December 5, 2017
2018 rail fares will rise on average by 3.4%. 97% of your fare is invested back into the railway, to run and improve services #investingtoimprove https://t.co/X2yg99bqes pic.twitter.com/BEf0JAv863 — Rail Delivery Group (@RailDeliveryGrp) December 5, 2017
In announcing the decision the RDG said that over 97% of money from fares goes back into “improving and running the railway, underpinning the rail industry’s long-term plan to work together to change and improve services for customers, the economy, communities and people who work in rail”.
Over the next 18 months, the RDG said, many services in “many parts” of the country will be “transformed” with more trains, better services and improved stations.
This includes Crossrail, Thameslink, Edinburgh-Glasgow, Great Western, Waterloo and the South West, and upgrades in the Midlands and the North, the RDG said.
The announcement did not sit well with commuters who took particular issue with the RDG’s claim that fare money improved services.
3.4% rise on railfare, when most of the time, if you commute to work, you don’t even get a fucking seat. We cram into these understaffed tin cans like sardines and pay exorbitant prices. 97% of ticket prices goes to maintence. Really? When railway firms make how many billions?
December 5, 2017
I don’t get the rail fare rises. They’ve been saying ‘it’s to improve services ‘ for the last 20 years….. pic.twitter.com/WeVnsL4W1V
Aaaaaah the sweet sweet annual rail fare increase whilst we see an annual decline in service. https://t.co/TvTwmnf8rE
Excellent a 3.4% rise for the privilege of using 40 year old leaking trains which break down, staff shouting at you and being accused of fare evasion for using a smart card season ticket – welcome to 21st century rail travel in the East Midlands
December 5, 2017
Biggest rail fare hike in 5 years in the context of stagnant wage rises. No wonder re-nationalisation’s back on the agenda. #r4today
Paul Plummer, chief executive of the Rail Delivery Group which brings together train companies and Network Rail, said: “Government controls increases to almost half of fares, including season tickets, with the rest heavily influenced by the payments train companies make to government.
“Alongside investment from the public and private sectors, money from fares is underpinning the partnership railway’s long-term plan to change and improve.
“Working together, our plan will secure £85 billion of additional economic benefits while enabling further investment and improved journeys for customers, better connections to boost local communities and a bright future for our employees.”
Rail companies are working together to deliver more than £50billion of improvements, including private sector investment of £11.6billion on 5,700 new train carriages by 2021, the RDG noted in its statement.
The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union’s general secretary Mick Cash told The Independent that the fares increase was “another kick in the teeth for passengers” and accused private train companies of “laughing all the way to the bank”.
“For public sector workers and many others in our communities who have had their pay and benefits capped or frozen by this Government, these fare increases are another twist of the economic knife.”