'The seemingly unstoppable rail price express ploughs on'

Last updated 2 Jan 2009 12:01 0 Comments

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TRAIN fare rises calculated in the summer are unlikely to bring a ray of sunshine for recession-hit commuters when they come into effect today.

Regulated fares - including season tickets and peak-time fares - will mostly increase by 6% but the rise was based on a rate of inflation from July that has now nose-dived.

The Retail Price Index put inflation at 5% in July and First Great Western, South West Trains and Virgin will be adding the maximum increase of 1% to that figure for their new prices. However by November, the last month for which information is available, the RPI had fallen to 3%.

Unregulated fares, for non-peak travel and some advance bookings, will be increased on average by 7.2% by South West Trains, 7% by Virgin and 6.6% by First Great Western.

Anthony Smith, chief executive of consumer watchdog Passenger Focus, said: "These fare rises hark back to a time of high inflation and spiralling energy costs. The economy is different now, but the seemingly unstoppable rail price express ploughs on. Some train companies deserve credit for limiting some unregulated fare rises. However, fare rises way above inflation are unjustified and unfair."

The Association of Train Operating Companies said that the Government plans to reduce the subsidy to the railway by 40% between 2006/07 and 2013/14 and the rises are necessary to make up funding and help improve services.

Chief executive Michael Roberts added: "More than 80% of rail journeys are made using either a price-regulated or discounted ticket. And with the real costs of motoring up by over 25% since 1996, rail will continue to be an attractive option."

Samantha Lamb, 23, who works in advertising and commutes daily to London from her Reading home, said: "It doesn't really seem fair that they are increasing fares when they can't hit their service targets. First Great Western haven't hit them once in 2008."

First Great Western spokesman Dan Panes said: "In the London to Thames Valley area there will be a huge chunk of fares that are going down, some of them by about 60%."

He added that some train tickets from Reading to places including Oxford, Basingstoke and Didcot would be decreasing by around 10-20%.

Do you think rail companies are justified in the rise? Have your say below.

This article appeared in Reading Chronicle 01 Jan 09

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