Fair Fares Now

Dear Transport Secretary,

In June this year the Department for Transport will publish its findings from the Fares and Ticketing Review and we renew our calls for you to:

- Name a date to end the above inflation formula

- Commit to reducing fares relative to inflation

Britain has some of the most expensive train fares in the world. This is largely due to the above inflation formula that your government uses to set ticket prices. More affordable rail fares will increase job opportunities, promote local economies as well as reducing  CO2 emissions, road congestion and pollution.

Why is this important?

For the last ten years, the Government has used an “above inflation formula” (RPI+1%) to set the rise in most fares each January. This has led Britain to have one of the most expensive railways in the world. The former transport secretary Philip Hammond said he accepted that the railway in Britain was a "rich man's toy".

The formula was first put in place by the Government to protect passengers from potential fares abuse on the part of rail operators. But the government is currently using this formula to bring in more and more money. The Campaign for Better Transport is running the Fair Fares Now campaign and has got the Government to back down on plans for even higher fare increases.

Rail users are still facing fare hikes that are twice the rate of wage rises, costing hundreds of pounds more for their season tickets. And in spite of the outrageously expensive price of rail fares, people face delays and overcrowding. 

This Summer’s Fares and Ticketing Review is a vital opportunity for your Government to address the spiralling cost of rail travel.

We need fair fares now.