Tell us your story: how will fare increases set at RPI+1% affect you?

Tell us how you are going to be affected by the rail fare increases?

That is the question that Together for Transport is asking after the Chancellor, George Osborne, announced that regulated fare increases across the country are to be capped at an average of 6% for one year only,
For the millions of people facing inflation busting fare rises from January 2012, there may be a limited sense of relief that the increases are less than originally expected.

For some, that might even mean a chance of Christmas with the money they would have been using for their season ticket in the New Year.

But before you go out and spend the money you have been saving, wait one moment.

Any relief will be short-lived as so many people still have to afford fare rises that are, on average, 1% above inflation at a time when pay increases are virtually non-existent and certainly no where near 6%.

And that doesn’t take account of those disturbing words – “average” – which means that many people will be paying much more than 6% as the Train Operating Companies re-work their fares for each route.

Remember, railway fares are a basket of fares which make up an average and so some are higher as many commuters found out last year.

Where the Chancellor was also silent was on what happens next year because the other major disappointment is that he saw fit to do nothing to cut increases in 2013 and 2014 meaning that the RPI+3% fare rises are still on course.

Taking all these figures together, fares will rise by over 20% in three years and you have to be left asking the question, “who can afford that?”

Manuel Cortes, TSSA General Secretary said: "Instead of mugging passengers and taking increases of 8.2%, Mr Osborne prefers to pick their pockets and take an average 6.2% in January. These increases will still mean real hardship for millions of families.

"And in the South East, the average means some eye watering fare increases of more than 10%, adding an extra £1,000 on long distance season tickets over the next three years."

This is why Together for Transport’s Great Train Fares Robbery Campaign will be continuing. A battle may have been won in reducing fares to an increase of an average of 6% this year but there is so much more to do: fares are still rising above inflation.

What you can do

That is why we are asking rail passengers to tell us their story about how the fare rise will affect them?

To protect confidentiality, we will only use first names (unless you tell us otherwise) but we would appreciate a quick e-mail that picks up some or all of these questions. Feel free to add more detail:

•  What do you pay now and how much more will you have to pay?
•  What route do you use?
•  How does the cost and time compare with driving?
•  What sacrifices will you have to make to pay the higher fares?
•  What sort of a pay rise, if any, have you had this year?
•  How does the fare increase affect your job? Are you thinking of getting a job closer to home?

Just e-mail your response to Rob@togetherfortransport.org.

And then, why don’t you join us in our on-going campaign.