Labour promises to cap rail fares
The Labour Party has promised to cap any increase in rail fares and make it easier for customers to buy the cheapest ticket available.
Labour will cap rail fare rises & make it easier to get the cheapest ticket for your journey. That’s how you help fix a #costoflivingcrisis
— The Labour Party (@UKLabour) August 13, 2013
It's not clear yet what the cap would be.
This comes as commuters face an average 4.1 per cent jump in regulated fares next year to pay for investment in the rail network. Regulated fares refers to those under government control, and would include season tickets.
Average fares will go up by inflation – as measured by the retail price index (RPI) – plus one per cent. The RPI for July reported this morning was 3.1 per cent.
Labour has said that those travelling on the busiest lines could be hit by fare increases as high as 9.1 per cent.
Cameron in 2012: I'll cap rail fare rises 2014: Rail fares up by up to 9.1% Bad for working people & bad for Britain #costoflivingcrisis
— The Labour Party (@UKLabour) August 13, 2013
The news resulted in resignation from some and outcry from others. The TUC said that regulated fares will have increased by 40.2 per cent in the period 2008 to 2014, compared to 15.6 per cent inflation. The union organised demonstrations at nearly 50 stations today in protest.