‘Chill wind’ for railway users as fares rise 3.4pc

TRAINS are to see a record fare rise, the Rail Delivery Group has announced, despite hitting the worst punctuality rates in a decade.

Average ticket prices across Britain will go up by 3.4 per cent on Jan 2, the industry body announced, the largest fares rise since 2013.

One in nine trains (12 per cent) failed to meet the rail industry’s punctuality target in the past year. That means they arrived at terminating stations more than five minutes late for commuter services or 10 minutes late for long-distance journeys.

That is the worst performance since 2006-2007, when 11.9 per cent of trains were found to have been running late. Between March 2015 and March 2016, one in 10 trains (10.9 per cent) failed to arrive on time.

Many season tickets are going up by more than £100, including in Theresa May’s constituency of Maidenhead, from where an annual pass to London will rise by £104 to £3,092.

Other routes on which regular commuters will see significant rises include Liverpool to Manchester (up £108 to £3,152), Gloucester to Birmingham (up £140 to £4,108) and Tweedbank to Edinburgh (up £96 to £2,732). Of the 20 operators that released individual figures, Transpennine Express passengers face the highest increase at 4.6 per cent.

Transport Focus, the passenger watchdog. compared the news to “a chill wind” blowing down platforms as many passengers’ incomes are stagnating or falling. Anthony Smith, its chief executive, said: “While substantial, welcome investment in new trains and improved track and signals is continuing, passengers are still seeing the basic promises made by the rail industry broken on too many days.”

Mick Cash, general secretary of the RMT union, said: “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.”