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Press release 16th August 2016

Annual inflation pain for rail travellers

Today’s inflation figures show that there’s no end to rail passengers' misery, claim rail campaigners. “Fares continue to outstrip real world price rises” said Bruce Williamson from the independent campaign group Railfuture. “Today’s CPI inflation figure is only 0.6%, but next January’s fares will go up by 1.9% because the government insists on using the higher RPI figure. It seems that  the government is continuing to price people off the railways, reducing revenue and damaging economic growth.  Meanwhile, motorists continue to enjoy a freeze on fuel duty”

The group has produced a chart showing how RPI has harmed passengers’ wallets.
 
Railfuture analysis of regulated fare increases since 2005 comparing the government's use of (near obsolete) RPI as a basis for the increases rather than the lower (and official) CPI measure of inflation

“A £100 ticket in 2004 now costs £155. If the government had used CPI instead or RPI, that would be only £144. If the government hadn’t used the +1% formula, keeping the real price constant, then it would be only £133 – a £22 difference. Despite the Government’s best efforts to deter us from travelling by rail, passenger numbers continue to rise, so we’re being charged more and more for less and less space on the train. Is it any wonder that rail travellers are unhappy?”
 
Railfuture analysis of regulated fare increases since 2005 set by government against the rate of inflation that consumers experience, as measured by CPI. Therefore rail fares have increased in real terms

Notes to editors:

Railfuture is the UK's leading independent organisation campaigning for better rail services for both passengers and freight.

These price rises affect only England. Wales and Scotland are slightly different

Railfuture's website can be found at: www.railfuture.org.uk

Follow Railfuture on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Railfuture

For further information and comment please contact:

Bruce Williamson, media spokesman
Tel: 0117 927 2954 Mobile: 07759 557389
media at railfuture.org.uk