Now train commuters face 3.5% fares rise

LONG- SUFFERING commuters face having to pay hundreds of pounds more for their annual season ticket despite enduring a shambolic year on the railways.

Regulated fares, which include commuter and season tickets, rise at the beginning of every year in line with the previous July’s retail prices index (RPI) measure of inflation.

Economists predict the figure will be about 3.5 per cent when it is announced by the Office for National Statistics next week.

The increase will infuriate many passengers who have been forced to put up with dismal service, the recent timetable chaos, strikes and engineering works.

If fares rose by 3.5 per cent, it would add £200 to the price of a season ticket to London from Southampton Central, according to figures provided by the Campaign for Better Transport.

The cost of a season ticket from Birmingham to London is set to rise by £370 from £10,564 to £10,933. And a season ticket from Stoke to

‘Worse service in Europe’

Milton Keynes Central could rise by £256 – from £7,320 to £7,576.

A 3.5 per cent hike would be only slightly lower than January’s 3.6 per cent increase, which was the highest since 2013. But it could prove even more controversial.

The botched introduction of a new timetable at the end of May has caused chaos for commuters in the South and North of England, with thousands of services delayed or cancelled.

The timetable shambles came on top of disruption caused by engineering works and strikes which haves swept the country.

Graham Stringer, a Labour member of the Commons transport committee, said: ‘I think passengers will be outraged at an increase of 3.5 per cent after the poor service they have received from rail companies and Network Rail – particularly in the North of England and London.

‘It would be more appropriate to give people a holiday from fare increases.

‘We have the highest rail fares in Europe and have suffered some of the worst service in Europe over the last six months.’