A 4.9% increase in rail fares by the Department of Transport over the weekend has been met with backlash and criticism.
Following the DfT's announcement last December, fares were hiked on Sunday, affecting the likes of long-distance peak returns and flexible tickets around cities.
“Why are rail passengers being punished year after year with inflation-busting fare rises?" questioned Railfuture chair Chris Page.
“No matter that there's a cost-of-living crisis, no matter that we're facing a climate emergency, the government seems more determined than ever to price us off the railway and onto the roads.”
Train companies, such as FirstGroup PLC (LSE:FGP), can set unregulated fares, such as on advanced tickets, but are largely bound by the government due to contracts introduced during the pandemic.
Average season ticket prices for lines into London, taken from 40 separate routes, have therefore risen by £248 to £5,300 as a result of the hikes, bringing UK ticket prices even further ahead of the rest of Europe.
“This fare rise will be tough for passengers to stomach given the shocking state of rail services up and down the country,” Labour's shadow transport secretary Louise Haigh said.
FirstGroup climbed 0.7% to 161.30p on the news. Trainline PLC (LSE:TRN), which sells tickets, also climbed 0.7% to 310.20p.