Bus and rail fares to rise
Bus and train passengers will be hit with a double whammy of inflation-busting fares this weekend as companies impose big rises.
Bus and train passengers will be hit with a double whammy of inflation-busting fares this weekend as companies impose big rises.
Sunday's increases come just two days before the cost of petrol is also expected to soar, with the VAT rise hitting every form of transport.
A public backlash against the rises, which in some cases are three times the rate of inflation, began today with the launch of a national petition.
Some rail tickets in the West Midlands will rise by as much as 9.5 per cent. The cost of bus tickets is going up 10p for a single fare on National Express West Midlands, which runs most services in the region. This represents a 5.8 per cent hike at a time when inflation is 3.3 per cent. Daysaver ticket prices will go up by around 3 per cent.
Rail firms are being allowed to increase their fares by an overall average of 5.8 per cent under a Government-imposed cap. That means that while some routes face minimal rises, others will increase substantially.
The Campaign For Better Transport, which is launching the Fair Fares Now petition, estimates some people will end up paying up to £5,000 more for season tickets.
CrossCountry, Virgin Trains and Wrexham and Shropshire trains are all putting up the prices of tickets bought on the day of travel, while London Midland is putting up its advance and other discounted tickets.
CrossCountry spokesman Stuart Henry said: "The average increase in CrossCountry ticket prices is 84p per journey."
He said first class and advance fares would be frozen.
National Express West Midlands says it will use revenue from its price rises to help fund 120 new buses for the region.
Councillor Judith Rowley, who represents Wolverhampton on transport authority Centro, criticised the lack of written consultation about bus fare rises in the region.
"There has been no leaflet issued to passengers to explain that the bus fare rises are coming, which means that people who are not aware of it may find themselves short of the extra change on Tuesday," she said.
By Daniel Wainwright