Above-inflation rail fare rises kick in for commuters

Higher rail and tube fares will welcome commuters on the return to work tomorrow as they rise by more than the rate of inflation.

Regulated rail fares, which include season tickets, will kick in with an average of a 6 per cent – and in some cases more than 8 per cent – increase in cost.

The average rise on all main line fares is 5.9 per cent, while on the London Underground and London buses the average rise is 5.6 per cent. The rises have infuriated passenger groups coming at a time when regulators have warned Network Rail about its below-target punctuality on long-distance routes.

The increases are sure to be beyond any salary rises that most travellers may get in 2012, and the Government plans to increase prices further by the RPI plus 3 per cent formula for January 2013 and January 2014. Among the hardest-hit this year are rail commuters in West Yorkshire, where some season ticket prices are going up by more than 8 per cent.

PA