Potential rail fares rise a 'rip off, say campaigners

A POTENTIAL 5.5% rise in England's train fares next year has been described by public transport groups as "outrageous".

- NEIL LANCEFIELD

July's Retail Prices Index (RPI) measure of inflation - which is often used to determine increases in the cost of train travel - will be announced on Wednesday.

The Government has not confirmed how it will determine the cap in regulated fare rises for 2026, but this year's 4.6% hike was one percentage point above RPI in July 2024.

Banking group Investec has forecast this year's July RPI figure will be 4.5%, which means fares could jump by 5.5%.

Bruce Williamson, spokesman for pressure group Railfuture, told the PA news agency "it would be outrageous" if fares rose by that much.

He said: "What would be the justification for jacking up fares above inflation? There isn't any. It's ripping off the customer, driving people off the trains and onto our congested road network, which is in no-one's interest."