Rail protests over 4.1 per cent train fare hike

The TUC and the Action for Rail campaign group staged a series of demonstrations at almost 50 stations to mark the publication of the latest RPI inflation figure, which is used to calculate next year’s rail fare rise.

Regulated train fares are set to rise by an average 4.1 per cent from January after the headline rate of retail price index inflation fell to 3.1 per cent in July from 3.3 per cent in June.

Between 2008 and next January rail fares will have jumped by 40 per cent, compared with a 15 per cent increase in average earnings, it was claimed.

‘Nine per cent fare rise’

The TUC warned that some season tickets could rise by 9 per cent, against forecasts of a 2.4 per cent increase in average earnings next year.

The union organisation said rail privatisation was costing taxpayers £1.2bn a year despite “minimal” investment in trains and stations.

TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “Every year hard-pressed rail commuters have to hand over an ever greater share of their earnings just to get to and from work.

“Wage-busting fare rises are not even going on much needed service improvements either. Instead, passenger and public subsidies are lining the pockets of the shareholders of private rail companies.

“You only have to look at the nationalised East Coast mainline to see that public ownership of the railways not only works, it provides a better deal for passengers and taxpayers alike.

“Ministers must put evidence before ideology, halt the privatisation of the east coast main line and look at bringing our railways back into public ownership.”

Unite National Officer Julia Long said: “The current system of privately owned operators is haemorrhaging enough cash each year to cut fares by at least 18 per cent, without reducing staff or services. Yet every year we see fares soar way beyond the inflation rate.”

Michael Roberts, chief executive of the Association of Train Operating Companies, said the rise above inflation supports “investment in more trains, better stations and faster services”.

He added: “In order to help limit future fare rises, the rail industry is working with the government to find ways of providing services even more efficiently, building on the progress that has already been made.”

Rail protests

Protests were held at stations including Birmingham New Street, Bristol Temple Meads, Glasgow Central, Manchester Piccadilly, Newcastle Central and London’s Paddington and Victoria.

The Campaign for Better Transport published research showing that rail fares are increasing nearly twice as fast as incomes, outstripping increases in wages by nearly 14 per cent since 2007.

Chief Executive Stephen Joseph said: “Getting to work is now the biggest single monthly outgoing for many commuters – more than food, more than housing.

“One of the surest ways of stamping on any green shoots of recovery is to price people off the trains and out of the jobs market.

“For the sake of the economy, we should end above-inflation fare increases now and start planning for fare reductions.”