Fares on many main lines have risen by more than inflation for a fourth successive year.

Prices that are subject to Government regulation, such as season tickets and some off-peak fares, increase by 4.3%, while the 60% of fares set by private operators go up by as much as 7.3% - almost three times the Government's 2.7% target rate of inflation.

Chris Grayling, the shadow transport secretary, said the price hikes came at a time of growing problems with overcrowding.

The Government's 10-year plan for transport, published in 2000, promised to improve capacity. But official figures from the Rail Regulator predict a 30% increase in passenger numbers with no additional capacity between now and 2014, he said.

Changes to the way rail franchises work encourage operators to bid as much as they can to secure the right to run services, and then to pack as many passengers as possible onto trains in order to claw the money back, said Mr Grayling.

Meanwhile, growing interference from the Department for Transport (DfT) in the details of timetables is leaving the companies with less flexibility over the services they offer, he said.

"These fare increases are being dictated by ministers, who now specify in minute detail what rail companies can or can't do," said Mr Grayling.

"My own view is that they are deliberately putting train companies under pressure to push up fares because it's the only way they can think of to deal with the increasing problem of overcrowding on our trains.

"What makes the increases all the more galling is that the Government's 10-year plan for transport was supposed to solve all of these problems. Ministers promised us big capacity improvements, less overcrowding and a better reason for people to leave their cars at home and take the train - all by 2010."

See also:

Rail fares rise 'aims to tackle overcrowding'

The Guardian: January 2, 2007
Patrick Wintour, political editor

Rail fares, due to rise ahead of inflation today for the fourth year in succession, are being manipulated by the government to ease overcrowding on the network, the Conservatives claimed yesterday.

Prices that are subject to government regulation, such as season tickets and some off-peak fares, are increasing by 4.3%, while the 60% of fares set by private operators go up by as much as 7.3% - almost three times the government's target rate of inflation.

Chris Grayling, the shadow transport secretary, said the price increases were coming at a time of growing problems with overcrowding.

Average increases in unregulated fares will be 6.6% on Virgin West Coast, 5.9% on Midland Mainline and 5.7% on Central Trains. Lowest average increases are on Merseyrail (3.2%).

The Department for Transport said the funds for the railways ultimately had to come either from taxes or fares.

There are gathering signs that the state of the railways, a relative political backwater since the introduction of Network Rail, is beginning to become a hot issue once again as pressure groups demand greater investment in the coming 30-year plan for the railways.

The government's 10-year plan for transport, published in 2000, promised to improve capacity.

But official figures from the Rail Regulator predict a 30% increase in passenger numbers with no additional capacity between now and 2014, he said. "These fare increases are being dictated by ministers, who now specify in minute detail what rail companies can or can't do," said Mr Grayling.

See also:

Train fare rises draw criticism

BBC News: 2 January 2007

On many lines it is the fourth successive year of above inflation rises

Above-inflation price rises for rail tickets have come under attack from rail groups and opposition politicians.

Many areas' regulated fares, which include season tickets, have risen by 4.3% - about 1% above inflation - but some unregulated fares are up by 7.3%.

The Tories said the "galling" rises showed ministers had failed to sort out the railways. Rail watchdog Passenger Focus said fares needed simplifying.

But the Department for Transport said they "want the railways to grow".

On many main lines it is the fourth successive year in which tickets have risen by more than inflation.

Train companies say the extra money is to pay for service improvements.

"It has become too much for people to travel during peak longer distance and therefore people are being pushed off the railways" - Anthony Smith, Passenger Focus

But shadow transport secretary Chris Grayling accused ministers of pressurising rail firms to push up prices and force people to stop using the trains.

He said the government had orginally set out a 10-year plan to sort out the railways.

The plan included "longer trains, longer platforms, upgrades to main lines, to tackle the capacity problems on our railways, to encourage people to leave their cars at home".

But he said: "None of that's now happening, so the only thing they can do is to push up fares, to collude with the train companies to do that, and as a result reduce overcrowding."

Ticket 'jungle'

The transport department regulates some fares, including season tickets and saver tickets.

Regulated fares account for 40% of tickets sold, and have risen by up to 4.3% in some areas, although many such fares have not increased at all.

Meanwhile, the 60% of fares which are set by private operators increased by up to 7.3%, which is nearly three times the government's 2.7% target rate of inflation.

Unregulated fares include open tickets, when passengers buy their tickets on the day they want to travel.

Anthony Smith, of Passenger Focus, described the pricing system as a "jungle" that needed to be simplified.

"It has become too much for people to travel during peak longer distance and therefore people are being pushed off the railways. It is not fair," he said.

"Pushing people towards booking ahead in advance and being less flexible, it changes the nature of the railway."

'Commercial decision'

Average increases in unregulated fares will be 6.6% on Virgin West Coast, 5.9% on Midland Mainline and 5.7% on Central Trains.

Heathrow and Gatwick Express tickets are up by 7.3%, but Merseyrail, which has increased its fares by 3.2%, has seen the lowest average increase.

A Department for Transport spokesman said setting fares which are not regulated is "a commercial decision for train operators".

"It is in their interests to provide an attractive range of fares and to encourage more passengers to use the railway," he said.

He added that "most commuter tickets and saver fares have their average increases capped at inflation plus 1%".

The spokesman also addressed the overcrowding issue.

"Passenger numbers have continued to increase, with more than one billion using the network in the last year," he said. "Ministers have consistently said that they want the railways to grow and passenger numbers to increase and will be publishing later this year a framework for the longer-term future of the railways."

RAIL FARE RISES FOR 2007
Train Company Average rise % (unregulated fares) Average rise % (regulated fares)
Arriva Trains Wales 5.5 4.3
c2c 4.3 4.3
Central Trains 5.7 4.3
Chiltern Railways 4.5 4.3
First Capital Connect 3.5 4.3
First Great Western 4.8 4.3
First ScotRail 4.3 4.3
(Strathclyde) - 0
First TransPennine Express 4.6 4.3
Gatwick Express 7.3 4.3
Great North Eastern Railway (GNER) 5.5 4.3
Heathrow Express 7.3 N/A
Hull Trains 3.5 N/A
Island Line N/A 5.3
Merseyrail 3.2 3.2
Midland Mainline 5.9 4.3
Northern Rail 4.3 4.3
(WYPTE area) - 6.3
'one' 5 4.3
Silverlink 4.3 4.3
Southeastern 4.3 6.3
Southern 4.3 4.3
South West Trains 5.3 4.3
Virgin CrossCountry 4.3 4.3
Virgin West Coast 6.6 4.3
Source: Atoc