Rail fares have gone up again - season tickets have increased by an average of 4.3%. Find out how much fares have gone up by route and how much they cost per mile
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Commuters face an average rail fare rise of 4.3% as new prices for season tickets come into effect for 2013.
But the hike in rail fares is nothing new according to campaigners. Matthew Taylor writes:
Rail fares for season ticket holders have risen by as much as 50% in the past decade making travelling to work by train an extravagance that growing numbers of people struggle to afford, according to campaigners.
Commuters returning to work after the Christmas break face average season tickets increases of 4.3% and an overall rise on ticket prices of 3.9%. But the Campaign for Better Transport says this is just the latest in a series of fare increases that is having an "appalling" impact on commuters.
It is the tenth year running that rail fares have increased by more than inflation. The below table, provided by Passenger Focus, shows rail fare rises, comparing the price of a 12-month season ticket bought in January 2012 with one bought today (Jan 2013). It also shows fare prices since 2008.
A 12-month season ticket from Leeds to Wakefield will now cost £964, a rise of 6.16% according to the data from the Press Association.
Passenger Focus research shows a rise of £272 (5.9%) for a season ticket from Canterbury to London and a 5.4% increase for Llanelli - Swansea. The chart above shows the a selection of the largest proportional price increases using PA data.
There are also routes that have had a below average fare rise or even a decrease; a season ticket for Ellesmere Port - Chester has increased by 2.3% and Shenfield - London Terminals has decreased by 0.6%.
But how much are commuters paying per mile? By looking at the cost per mile of each train route by the rise in price of a 12-month season ticket we can see that Sevenoaks to London is the most expensive at £6 per mile. Leeds to Wakefiled will set you back £5.60 per mile and Bracknell to London will cost you £5 per mile.
The table below shows a selection of routes and season ticket prices as compiled by Passenger Focus. Fares are standard class, valid by 'any permitted route' unless otherwise shown and fares to London are to 'London Terminals' or to a specified London terminus, rail-only. The downloadable spreadsheet also has more commuter routes and calculations of cost per mile and cost of increase per mile. What can you do with this data?
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