THE GOVERNMENT have announced that from August 2017, train tickets will be subject to a 1.9% increase as a result of Retail Price Inflation, which has left some commuters scratching their heads wondering where their money is going.
At the beginning of this year, ticket prices rose by 1%, across England, Scotland and Wales. By next January ticket prices will have rose nearly 3% in the past two years. Some argue that rail fares are already an expensive way to travel yet some don’t think they will see the benefits to another increase in cost.
Regular Bolton commuter Chris Harper uses his local train service to Manchester Piccadilly. When asked if he had witnessed an improvement to his journey as a result of historical fare increases, Chris said he hadn’t. He said: “The distance between the stops hasn’t increased 1.9% so why has the price. Fuel prices are dropping so what cost exactly is being passed.
I take the train because it’s quicker. The bus would add another 25 minutes and stops at every point, the increase is just an inconvenience.”
The same journey on a bus with an all zone ticket, providing unlimited travel across Greater Manchester, starts at £4. Whilst currently the train costs £6.40 for a return from Bolton to Manchester Victoria. This is set to rise to £7.02 by January following Northern’s announcement last month of a 50 pence increase to off-peak tickets.
Northen justified their announcement of increasing all North West off-peak tickets by 50 pence to fund a £1bn project to improve their fleet and services.
Commuters have used twitter to publicly vent their frustration.
train ticket prices are sometimes ridiculously expensive
— emma houweling (@funkyfairy78) October 7, 2016
Train ticket prices in England are horrible..
— Dan (@TheWeekendGeek) October 3, 2016
Swear train ticket prices are getting more expensive by the day
— Sam O’Hara (@SDO_8) October 1, 2016
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