Rail fares are expected to rise by approximately 3.2% in January 2019.
According to the RPI inflation measure, this rise in prices could add around £100 to yearly season ticket prices.
Chris Grayling, Transport Secretary, has made way for a smaller annual rail fare increase by basing the price on the lower Consumer Prices Index as opposed to the higher retail Prices Index. However, this could only happen if unions agree that the same measure be applied to staff pay.
Grayling has suggested this in a letter to unions and the Rail Delivery Group, which represents train operators.
Most train ticket prices are set by rail companies however, most train fares in England, Scotland and Wales are controlled in order to regulate the rise of prices which are pegged to the RPI rate of inflation.
The general secretary of the Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT), Mike Cash, stated:
“If Chris Grayling seriously thinks that rail staff are going to pay the price for his rank incompetence and the greed of the private train operating companies then he needs to think again.”
Unions have planned to organise protests at train stations throughout the country on Wednesday in disagreement with the rise in train fares. They believe that the privitisation of train companies is the reason for the increase.
This rise will mean that whilst weekly pay has increased by just 18% since 2008, prices will have increased by approximately 42%.
