Rail fare rises will be 'a slap in the face' to commuters, say Lib Dems

SURREY PARTY'S MPS MAKE APPEAL TO GOVERNMENT FOR PRICE FREEZE

- By JOSEPH BICKLE

LIBERAL Democrat MPs in Surrey are calling on the Government to freeze rail fares amid fears they could rise by nearly six per cent next year.

The MPs for Esher and Walton, Dorking and Horley, and Epsom and Ewell are asking the Government to give Surrey’s commuters a “reliable service and fair deal’.

The plea comes after Office for National Statistics data released last week indicated regulated rail fares could increase by 5.8 per cent in 2026-27 if the Government chooses to follow existing policy and increase fares in line with July's Retail Price Index (RPI).

In March, national rail fares increased across the country by 4.6 per cent, one per cent above the July 2024 RPI figure.

At Surrey’s major railway stations, a near six per cent increase will see commuters having to pay the following prices for an annual season ticket to London, according to the season ticket calculator by National Rail.