Calls for train ticket price freeze as increase could reach £300

Winchester and Meon Valley MP, Danny Chambers wants fares to be frozen next year as they could be due to rise by 4.6 per cent in April. 

Rail fare rises are usually based on the Retail Prices Index (RPI) from July plus 1 per cent, sparking concerns over how high prices may go. 

If that formula is utilised again, the newly-elected MP has said a season ticket from Botley to Waterloo - which currently costs £6560 - could go up to £6861.76.

It would mark a rise of £301.76.

READ MORE: Train passengers ‘punished’ as fares rise by nearly 5%

Danny Chambers, MP for Winchester (Image: Contributed)

Mr Chambers said: "Many residents of the Meon Valley have been contacting me about the state of our railways.

"People don’t understand why they’re paying so much for a service that isn’t up to standard.

“It is unacceptable that passengers have been forced to suffer these cancellations and delayed journeys only for ticket prices to rise again next year.

“There must be a fare freeze to stop passengers from having to pay more for a service they simply cannot rely on.”

The RPI plus 1 per cent rate was used up until 2023 to set rail price rises.

The Department for Transport (DfT) has not revealed whether this figure will be used to determine changes in the cost of train travel from 2025 onwards.

The rise in fares in 2023 was based on the UK’s average earnings growth during the quarter to July 2022, while a figure of 4.9 per cent – not believed to be linked to any specific economic measure – was used for the 2024 increase.

Concerns come after prices rose by 3.8 per cent in 2022, 5.9 per cent in 2023 and 4.9 per cent in 2024. 

Labour pledged to bring all train services in England into public ownership during its election campaign, pledging to do this as contracts expire.

It comes as Sir Keir Starmer's government has recently made a new pay offer aimed at ending the long-running dispute with train drivers.