Domestic rail price freeze but trips south may go up

RAIL passengers using cross-Border operators such as East Coast, Virgin Trains, CrossCountry and Transpennine Express could face extra fare hikes next January because of the squeeze on UK government finances, Transport Secretary Justine Greening has warned.

She said it may prove difficult to stave off the originally-planned ticket price rise of 3 per cent above RPI inflation for another year.

Ministers shelved plans for the higher increase this year, pegging the hike to the previous 1 per cent above inflation level.

Ms Greening admitted: “It [the annual rise] is something that I would like to see come down, but we have to get some financial stability back into the rail industry.”

The threatened change does not affect ScotRail – Scotland’s main train operator.

The Scottish Government’s Transport Scotland agency said: “Cross-Border regulated fares are set by the UK government, while the Scottish Government is responsible for those services within Scotland only.

“As a result, Scottish ministers have been able to hold down increases for regulated fares at RPI +1 per cent.”