RAIL FARES TO RISE BY 4.6% IN ENGLAND AND WALES – The fare increase, which also applies to railcards, comes despite ongoing concerns over service reliability
Rail fares across England and Wales will rise by 4.6%, affecting commuters and travellers nationwide.
The fare increase, which also applies to railcards, comes despite ongoing concerns over service reliability. Public transport campaigners warn that the hike will put additional strain on households, with some commuters facing significant annual cost increases.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander acknowledged passenger frustrations, while the UK government set the 4.6% cap for regulated fares in England. This includes season tickets, some off-peak long-distance fares, and flexible city travel tickets. Unregulated fares, set by operators, are also expected to rise by a similar margin.
The Welsh government has matched Westminster’s cap, while Transport for Wales is implementing varying increases on unregulated fares. Meanwhile, in Scotland, the government will raise ScotRail fares by 3.8% from April 1.
In addition, railcards across Britain, except those for disabled passengers, have increased in price for the first time in 12 years.
