Government faces ‘commuter backlash if rail fares rise whilst fuel duty is frozen’

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The Government will face a ‘political backlash’ from rail commuters if planned hikes in train fares are brought in at the same time as Ministers help motorists by freezing fuel duty, according to transport charity Campaign for Better Transport.

With most rail fares set to rise by 8 per cent in January, and some up to 13 per cent, the average commuter will have to fork out an extra £165 for an annual season ticket.

The Government has increased the cap on regulated tickets from 1 per cent above inflation to 3 per cent above inflation. This will generate an extra £26 million for the Government next year.

At the same time the Government seems set to freeze fuel duty, which will save the average household a little over £20 on the cost of their petrol next year, but cost the Treasury around £1.5 billion. The freeze comes on top of a cut in duty earlier this year.

Stephen Joseph, Campaign for Better Transport’s chief executive, said:

“The Government seems willing to sacrifice billions on fuel duty when it will hardly make a dent in families’ spending on driving, yet they are hitting public transport users with far more punitive increases when it will bring in only a fraction of the revenue.

“Attempts by government to influence petrol prices are only ever going to be marginal but they should help people by making public transport alternatives easier and cheaper.

“Instead they have chosen to ramp up the price of rail fares whatever the cost to individuals.”

The move on fuel duty comes after lobbying by MPs, but Campaign for Better Transport is warning that the Government faces a backlash from rail commuters if moves for motorists are not matched by action on fares, particularly from the powerful ‘Thameslink voters’ of the London commuter belt.

The charity met with MPs concerned about the fare rises yesterday (Monday 21 November) at the House of Commons.

A YouGov poll found that rail fare rises were the single most unpopular policy announced in the Spending Review, opposed by eight out of 10 people; and almost three quarters (74 per cent) of regular rail users in the South East said that they could switch their support away from parties that raised fares by RPI+3%.

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