Commuter woe as rail fare inflation rises for first time in six years

The average annual increase in rail fares will rise for the first time in over half a decade. Rail fares increase in January each year to match inflation and, with the Brexit vote already affecting national and global markets, it was expected that figures would rise. The increase of 2.3 per cent is the biggest rise in fares since 2014. It comes after a promise by authorities last summer that rail fares would only rise by 1.9 per cent. Network Rail claim the extra funds will support a £50 billion Railway Upgrade Plan, with more than 5,500 new carriages due by 2020. They have also blamed a huge increase in daily commuters. Paul Plummer, chief executive of the Rail Delivery Group which represents train operators and Network Rail, said: “We understand how passengers feel when fares go up, and we know that in some places they haven’t always got the service they pay for. Around 97p in every pound passengers pay goes back into running and improving services. “Fares are influenced by government policy, either through government-regulated fares such as season tickets or as a result of the payments train companies make to government. This money helps the Government to support the biggest investment in our railway since Victorian times.” The new ticket prices will come into effect on January 2. For more about your rail fare go to www.nationalrail.co.uk/fares