Rail passengers face New Year fare rises

Rail travellers face inflation-busting fare rises in the New Year, with long-distance passengers suffering from increasing restrictions on cheaper advance fares, a consumer watchdog said.

Passenger Focus said ticket rises which came coming into force yesterday could not be justified, particularly when the economy was slowing.

But rail operators said the extra revenue from higher fares was improving punctuality to record levels and that four out of five passengers were either satisfied or very satisfied with services.

"Many passengers will shudder and shiver when they find out the scale of some New Year fare rises," said Passenger Focus chief executive Anthony Smith.

"Fare rises that hark back to a time of high inflation and spiralling energy costs look very out of kilter.

"Big rises simply cannot be justified in more normal times let alone the current economic climate."

Rail commuters see the average price of regulated fares - season, saver and standard day return tickets - jumping by six per cent.

Unregulated fares - cheap day returns, open and advance purchase tickets - rose by an average of seven per cent.The Bank of England says inflation could fall below one per cent this year, after easing to 4.1 per cent in November from 4.5 per cent the month before.

Mr Smith said "perpetual tinkering" with ticket restrictions meant unregulated fare rises continued by the back door.

"Many long distance passengers will be pushed into paying higher prices or locking themselves into rigid advance purchase, one train only fares."

The Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) said the increases would help provide a better deal for taxpayers in line with the government's policy of reducing its rail subsidies.

"The service offered to passengers is improving all the time thanks to the investment made possible by fares revenues," said ATOC chief executive officer Michael Roberts.

"Punctuality is now at record levels - above 90 per cent - and passenger satisfaction is also high with 80 per cent being very satisfied or satisfied."