The government has announced that regulated rail fares in England will increase by 4.9% from 3 March, a cap below the July retail prices index (RPI) of 9% but still above the latest consumer price index (CPI) inflation of 3.9%.
Transport Secretary Mark Harper said the rise was necessary to offset reduced passenger numbers after the pandemic, arguing that the railways still require significant subsidies. He described the cap as a 'significant intervention' to keep the increase below last year's rise.
Shadow transport secretary Louise Haigh condemned the move as a 'brutal bumper rise', noting that passengers are already facing record delays and cancellations. The increase marks the second consecutive year the government has chosen not to use the full RPI figure, which stood at 12.3% in 2022.
Separately, Scottish rail fares will rise by 8.7% in April, with the Scottish government citing unsustainable previous freezes. Fares in Wales and Northern Ireland are set independently.
The above-inflation increase contrasts with a decade-long freeze on fuel duty for cars and comes amid ongoing cost-of-living pressures. Labour argued the rise is an insult to millions of commuters.
