Trains: Passengers might be feeling the pinch after train fares increase

Train fares have risen up to 6.5 per cent across Portsmouth services as of March 5, as part of the 5.9 per cent capped price increase across England.

Around 45 per cent of fares are affected by the price cap increase including season tickets on commuter routes, some off-peak return tickets on long distance journeys, and anytime tickets around major cities.

South Western Railway Watch’s Campaign Coordinator, Jeremy Varns, said the fare increase ‘couldn’t have come at a worse time for travellers.’

‘With household budgets already under immense pressure, passengers may struggle to justify what could amount to hundreds of pounds extra over the coming months - when current timetables are still significantly below pre-pandemic levels’ he said.

‘Rail users face the prospect of continued disruption due to industrial action against the backdrop of a record level of cancellations and falling punctuality.’

‘Expecting passengers to pay more for less is not only entirely unreasonable’ but also harming expansion of services and a low carbon economy.

Susana Nabada, 43, works as a carer in Cosham and was taking the train to visit her family in Brighton, £19 with a railcard.

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She bought her ticket before the price rise in advance, but said the rise would definitely affect her travel habits on the train.

‘Maybe only two times a month instead of three or four to visit my family from now on’ she said.

Ian Harris, 58, travels between Cosham and Portsmouth and Southsea station frequently, saying his regular fare went from £4.60 to £4.90 for a return ticket.

‘Doesn’t really make a difference - it's not going up by 10 per cent, it’s not going to break me,’ he said – but added that it still might ‘chip away at my disposable income’.

Although usually the capped price rail fares would increase by the Retail Price Index (RPI), which as of July 2022 is 12.3 percent, the government enforced a 5.9 percent rise instead, still the biggest price increase in a decade.

The price cap in England is regulated by the Secretary of State, with unregulated fares overlooked by the Office of Rail and Road, the independent watchdog for rail and road users.