[Guinness]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4509956.stm

Rail fares to increase up to 9%
Passengers buying tickets
Revenue is needed to pay for 'big improvements', the industry says
Rail fares will rise by well above the inflation rate - almost 9% in some areas - in the New Year.

Regulated fares, which are fixed at inflation rate plus 1% and including season tickets and saver tickets, will rise by 3.9% from 2 January.

Unregulated fares, including cheap day returns and some advanced fares, will rise by an average of 4.5%.

Passenger groups said many fares were now at "eye-watering levels" and that companies must show "value for money".

Click here for a list of each train company's fare rises

Unregulated fares on GNER's East Coast mainline will see the largest rise with an average of 8.8%.


Our railways are the fastest growing in Europe and operators will continue to introduce new trains, better passenger facilities and improved travel information
Atoc

Merseyrail has the smallest rises with both regulated and unregulated fares going up by an average of 2.9%.

The fares were announced on Thursday by the Association of Train Operating Companies (Atoc).

Director general George Muir said the revenue from fares was needed to pay for "big improvements" being made on the railways.

"Our railways are the fastest growing in Europe and operators will continue to introduce new trains, better passenger facilities and improved travel information," he said.

'Disappointing present'

The rise in regulated fares may be offset for some passengers by discounts for season ticket holders because of the poor performance of companies.

On some routes the discounts will be as much as 10% although most companies will be making 5% discounts.


The rail industry is going to have to work hard to demonstrate that these rises represent value for money
Rail Passengers Council

The Rail Passengers Council said the "inflation-busting price hikes" were "a disappointing early Christmas present for passengers".

"The rail industry is going to have to work hard to demonstrate that these rises represent value for money," chief executive Anthony Smith said.

Good value rail travel could be found by buying tickets in advance, he added.

"But many walk-on fares are now at eye-watering levels.

"A £202 ticket for return travel between Manchester and London bought on the day means passengers are paying nearly £50 an hour for the privilege of taking the train.

"Just what sort of railway are we creating?"

RAIL FARE RISES FOR 2006
Train company Average rise %
(regulated fares) Average rise %
(unregulated fares)
Arriva Trains Wales 3.7 5.4
C2c 3.9 4.4
Central Trains 3.9 6.4
Chiltern Railways 3.9 5
First Great Western 3.9 4.5
First Great Western Link 3.9 4.5
First Scotrail 3.9 3.7
Gatwick Express 3 5.6
GNER 3.9 8.8
Great Northern (WAGN) 3.9 5.2
Heathrow Express N/A 3.6
Hull Trains N/A 5
Island Line Nil Nil
Merseyrail 2.9 2.9
Midland Mainline 3.9 6
Northern 3.9 3.9
One 3.8 3.5
Silverlink 3.9 6.1
South Eastern Trains 3.9 3
Southern 3.9 3.9
South West Trains 3.9 4.9
Thameslink 3.9 2.9
Trans-Pennine Express 3.9 3.2
Virgin Cross Country 3.9 4.6
Virgin West Coast 3.9 5.9
Wessex Trains 3.9 3.9
Source: Atoc

[Holland on Rail]

Wow, Does your goverment thinks this is the way to get peaople out of their car?

It's redculouse!!!!!!!

[David]

The thing is, all the regulated fares are being increase too much...

Inflation is currently at 2.1%. The maximux a regulated fare can be increase is 3.1%. Where are the TOC's finding the rest?

[Mojo]

Hansard Debates: -
30th November
23rd November

[Dennis]

The whole fare structure is absolutely potty anyway - I can pay between between £18 - over £100 to get from Trowbridge to London (rtn).

More to the point, at the end of the day someone has to pay for the railways and the obvious people to do this are the passengers; fare increases are fine given the (allegedly) improving infrastructure and trains. These costs, together with others such as fuel price increases, absurd H&S requirements and increased staffing levels, do need to be paid for. It would also help if they actaully collected the fares from passengers.


What really pees me off is that fuel duty (one of the main costs of motoring) has been frozen by the government and road tax, in real terms, is reducing. Why not make motorists feel the pain as well? Increase fuel duty and apply the same safety prnciples on the roads.

Also, what about airport taxes - another load of labour ballcocks. Save the environment...I don't think thats the reason for these. Stop expanding airports; fewer people could travel by air = less pollution. Easy.

[yorkie]

These percentages are meaningless unless we can see the actual new fares that are relevant to us.

Anyone know if/how we can get that information? Or is it a case of obtaining the fares manuals - impossible without paying a hefty fee as it's a closely guarded secret?

The more they get up to dirty tactics, and try to keep the fares secret and price them illogically, the more it makes me use thetrainline to work out the combinations that are cheaper, along with the Routeing Guide and it's anomalies

Anyone adversely affected by this is advised to see if there are combinations of tickets that make it cheaper, or buying a ticket to an odd destination that makes it cheaper. Feel free to post here asking for advice.