Rail fare structure ‘not ideal’, admits transport minister
I pity the poor rural rail commuter – with few or no opportunities to work in smaller rural settlements I fear this is another body blow to those who want to at least live in rural England – even if they have to find work somewhere else. This article unpacks the factors conditioning their plight as follows:
“Transport minister Norman Baker has admitted the current rail fare structure is “not ideal” and said the government wants to end above-inflation rises as soon as possible, as commuters returned to work after the Christmas break to face sharp fare increases.
Campaigners claim that fares for season ticket holders have risen by as much as 50% in the past decade, making travelling to work by train an extravagance that growing numbers of people struggle to afford.
Commuters returning to work face average season ticket increases of 4.3% and an overall rise on ticket prices of 3.9%. The Campaign for Better Transport (CBT) says these are just the latest in a series of fare increases, which are having an “appalling” impact on commuters.
Baker said a fares and ticketing review was examining the balance of regulation and which fares are regulated. Approximately 40% of fares are regulated by the government. The other 60% are unregulated and decided by the train companies themselves, he said.
“It’s not ideal – there are over 100,000 rail tickets and different prices each year to deal with,” Baker told Radio 4’s Today programme. “It’s a hugely complicated issue.”