York: Rail season tickets could rise in price by 8 per cent

English rail fares will rise by up to eight per cent in 2024 if the Government uses the same formula as this year.

Analysis of industry data shows this would be the highest annual increase since at least 1996, when Britain’s railways were privatised.

A York to Leeds annual season ticket using any valid route is currently £2,764, but would rise to £2,985 - a £221 hike.

Nina Smith, chair of the Yorkshire branch of campaign group Railfuture, told The Press: "An increase of this level is unacceptable.

"Not only is this a difficult increase to bear when there is a cost of living crisis, bur fares of this level may discourage people from using trains, and result in them using a  less environmentally friendly car instead, thus contributing to road congestion and pollution.

“This fare is an example of how cross-local authority boundary fares are much higher than those wholly within West Yorkshire; such fares should be reduced."

The Department for Transport (DfT) aligned this year’s cap on fare increases with Britain’s average earnings growth for July 2022, which was 5.9 per cent.

Figures published by the Office for National Statistics on Tuesday show the same measure for July 2023 was eight per cent.

The DfT has previously confirmed that next year’s fare rises will be below the Retail Prices Index (RPI) measure of inflation for July – which was nine per cent – but has not announced what formula it will use.

Train tickets could rise in price by eight per cent next year. Picture: PA (Image: Radar)

Norman Baker, director of external affairs at pressure group Campaign for Better Transport and former Liberal Democrat transport minister, said: “The Government has yet to confirm next year’s rail increase, but if it follows the same formula as last year and uses today’s average earnings growth rate, passengers will face eye-watering increases.

“Rather than hammer rail passengers yet again, the Government should freeze rail fares – as they have done with fuel duty – until the long-promised ticketing reform takes place.”

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A DfT spokeswoman said: “Following last year’s biggest ever Government intervention to cap rail fare increases well below inflation, we’ll continue to protect passengers from cost-of-living pressures and we will not increase next year’s rail fares by as much as the July RPI figure.

“Any increase will also be delayed until March 2024, temporarily freezing fares for passengers to travel at a lower price for the entirety of January and February as the Government continues with its plan to halve inflation.”

The earnings growth figure used to determine the cap on fare rises in 2023 was the percentage change in average total pay in July 2022 compared with a year earlier.

About 45 per cent of fares on Britain’s railways are regulated by the Westminster, Scottish and Welsh Governments.

They include season tickets on most commuter journeys, some off-peak return tickets on long-distance routes, and flexible tickets for travel around major cities.

Train operators set rises in unregulated fares, although these are likely to be very close to changes in regulated ticket prices as their decisions are heavily influenced by governments due to contracts introduced because of the coronavirus pandemic.