THE COST of an annual season ticket from Coventry to London Euston station has risen by more than £2,500 since 2010, new analysis shows.
The government’s rail fare hike of 3.1 per cent came into force today sparking demonstrations around the country.
The Labour Party says it has compared fares on over 180 train routes between 2010 and today’s new prices.
It shows a 36 per cent rise since 2010 on annual season tickets from Coventry to London Euston.
In 2010 a season ticket cost about £7,000 but this has increased to about £9,600 from today.
In cash terms it is the second highest rise behind Birmingham.
Across the UK, average fares have risen nearly three times faster than wages, Labour claims.
Campaigners are outraged that the rise comes as problems continue to plague rail networks around the country, with more delays, signal failures and strikes.
About 45 per cent of rail fares are regulated with increases directly influenced by government caps.
This includes season tickets on most commuter journeys, some off-peak return tickets on long distance journeys and anytime tickets around major cities.
Successive governments have pegged rail fare caps to the previous July’s retail price index (RPI) inflation figure.
Other rises are decided by the train companies.
Coventry Tweeter @jkCov said: “Rail fares are a disgrace, peak time express from Coventry to Euston walk on fare is £160 return, or £1.36 per minute and sometimes you stand all the way.
“Peak fares extend to 10.30am on this service. How can this be considered an appropriate charge for this service? It’s a rip off.”
Labour’s shadow transport secretary Andy McDonald MP said: “Today’s rail fare increases are an affront to everyone who has had to endure years of chaos on Britain’s railways.
“Falling standards and rising fairs are a national disgrace. The government must now step in to freeze fares on the worst performing routes.”
But transport secretary Chris Grayling today announced a new rail card which extends half-price child rail fares to 16 and 17-year-olds to be launched this September.
The announcement comes on the same day the rail industry launches the 26-30 Railcard, available to people up to the age of 30, which could benefit up to 4.5million people with a third off their travel.
Mr Grayling said: “The new railcards will cut fares for a generation of travellers, ensuring more young people than ever will be able to travel on our railways for less.
“It could cut the cost of travel by hundreds of pounds a year for young people and their parents, making it cheaper to get to school, college and work.
“This builds on the roll-out of the new 26-30 Railcard and our record investment into our railways, ensuring people get the frequent, affordable and reliable journeys they deserve.”
The government also says it has frozen regulated fares in line with inflation for other travellers for the sixth year running.
Since 2014 fares have, on average, remained below the annual inflation cap.
