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| Rail fares: Commuters 'priced out' by increases, campaigners say | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Average rail ticket prices have risen by 3.4% across the UK, in the biggest increase to fares since 2013. | Average rail ticket prices have risen by 3.4% across the UK, in the biggest increase to fares since 2013. |
| Protests are planned at some 40 stations, as many commuters see their season tickets go up by more than £100. | Protests are planned at some 40 stations, as many commuters see their season tickets go up by more than £100. |
| Campaigners warned that many people were "being priced out of getting to work". | Campaigners warned that many people were "being priced out of getting to work". |
| The Department for Transport said price rises were capped in line with inflation. | The Department for Transport said price rises were capped in line with inflation. |
| Commuter routes that are now more expensive include Liverpool to Manchester (up £108 to £3,152), Maidenhead to London (up £104 to £3,092) and Elgin to Inverness (up £100 to £2,904). | Commuter routes that are now more expensive include Liverpool to Manchester (up £108 to £3,152), Maidenhead to London (up £104 to £3,092) and Elgin to Inverness (up £100 to £2,904). |
| Fare increases to regulated fares are calculated using the previous July's Retail Prices Index (RPI) measure of inflation. | Fare increases to regulated fares are calculated using the previous July's Retail Prices Index (RPI) measure of inflation. |
| Around half of all tickets fall under this category. | Around half of all tickets fall under this category. |
| Bruce Williamson, of campaign group Railfuture, called for the Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation measure to be used for regulated fare increases instead. | Bruce Williamson, of campaign group Railfuture, called for the Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation measure to be used for regulated fare increases instead. |
| The CPI is generally lower than the RPI and is used by the government to work out increases in benefits and pensions. | The CPI is generally lower than the RPI and is used by the government to work out increases in benefits and pensions. |
| Mr Williamson argued that if CPI had been used rather than RPI since 2004, rail fares would be 17% lower. | Mr Williamson argued that if CPI had been used rather than RPI since 2004, rail fares would be 17% lower. |
| He said people were being priced out of getting to work, with British rail fares among "the most expensive in Europe". | He said people were being priced out of getting to work, with British rail fares among "the most expensive in Europe". |
| Stephen Joseph, chief executive of the Campaign for Better Transport (CBT), accused the government of choosing to "snub rail passengers" while fuel duty continued to be frozen. | Stephen Joseph, chief executive of the Campaign for Better Transport (CBT), accused the government of choosing to "snub rail passengers" while fuel duty continued to be frozen. |
| "The extra money that season ticket holders will have to fork out this year is almost as much as drivers will save," Mr Joseph said. | "The extra money that season ticket holders will have to fork out this year is almost as much as drivers will save," Mr Joseph said. |
| "That doesn't seem fair to us." | "That doesn't seem fair to us." |
| Meanwhile the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) said the need for public ownership of the railways had "never been more popular or necessary". | Meanwhile the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) said the need for public ownership of the railways had "never been more popular or necessary". |
| The Department for Transport said that 97p out of every £1.00 paid by rail passengers went back into the railway. | The Department for Transport said that 97p out of every £1.00 paid by rail passengers went back into the railway. |
| "We are investing in the biggest modernisation of our railways since the Victorian times," a spokesman added. | "We are investing in the biggest modernisation of our railways since the Victorian times," a spokesman added. |
| "This includes the first trains running though London on the Crossrail project, an entirely new Thameslink rail service, and continuing work on the transformative Great North Rail Project. | "This includes the first trains running though London on the Crossrail project, an entirely new Thameslink rail service, and continuing work on the transformative Great North Rail Project. |