UK rail fares to increase at below inflation in 2023

The UK’s Division for Transport (DFT) has promised that it’ll not improve rail fares for 2023 by the present fee of inflation, as a consequence of the price of residing disaster.

Regulated rail fares within the UK for the next 12 months are often elevated by the speed of the retail costs index (RPI) throughout the previous July. 

Inflation within the UK, as measured by RPI, reached 11.8 per cent in June and final month’s official determine is because of be introduced later this week

However the DFT has confirmed that it’ll not improve regulated fares, which cowl round 45 per cent of rail tickets within the UK, by as a lot as July’s inflation fee. It has additionally determined to delay any improve till March 2023, as an alternative of implementing the worth rise in January as regular.

“The federal government is taking decisive motion to cut back the affect inflation can have on rail fares throughout the price of residing disaster and won’t be growing fares as a lot because the July RPI determine,” confirmed a DFT spokesperson.

“We’re additionally once more delaying the rise to March 2023, briefly freezing fares for passengers to journey at a cheaper price for the whole thing of January and February as we proceed to take steps to assist struggling households.”

However the DFT has given no indication of how a lot regulated fares will rise by in 2023. The transfer doesn’t have an effect on unregulated fares, that are set by practice working firms.

Rail passengers saw fares increase by 3.8 per cent in England and Wales earlier this 12 months, which was the very best rise for 9 years. Though, like 2023, this worth improve was delayed till March.

In the meantime, UK rail passengers will face extra disruption later this week when the RMT union calls two days of strikes on Thursday (18 August) and Saturday (20 August). This may see a really restricted service throughout the UK’s rail community with passengers warned that they need to solely journey by practice “if completely mandatory”.