Chester and Crewe commuters hit hard by inflation-busting rail ticket fares

Jan 5 2012 by Mark Dowling, Chester Chronicle

CHESTER railway commuters have been among the hardest hit in the UK by this week’s increase in train ticket fares.

Since Monday, passengers who travel to Crewe and want to renew an annual season ticket will now have to pay 10.6% more than last time as the price has rocketed £160 from £1,508 to £1,668.

The price of a one-way ticket between the two destinations has also risen to £10 for what works out as 24p a mile for a 20-minute, off-peak journey.

The value of the journey compares poorly to a one-way ticket from Chester to Liverpool, which costs £6.20 and works out at just 10p a mile.

There was brighter news, however, for commuters travelling by train from Chester to Ellesmere Port.

An annual ticket between the two destinations has risen by just 4.1% compared to this time last year, lower than the rate of inflation. A season ticket has risen £28 from £676 to £704.

Elsewhere, the inflation-busting increases which saw fares rise by an average of 5.9% nationally mean passengers wanting to buy an anytime ticket from Chester to London will now pay £73.20.

The cheapest one-way journeys from Chester bought on the day will now cost £6.20 to Flint, £11.30 to Manchester, £23.10 to Holyhead and £81.50 to Edinburgh.

Passenger Focus chief executive Anthony Smith said: “Passengers will have to dig deep in their pockets to cover the 6% and more fare rises coming into effect.

“Whatever the weather, these rail fare rises will make for a frosty return to work.”

Michael Roberts, chief executive of the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC), said: “Money raised through fares helps pay for new trains, faster services and better stations.

“The long-standing government approach to sustaining rail investment is to cut the contribution from taxpayers and increase the share paid for by passengers.

“The industry is working together to continue cutting costs as a way to help limit future fare rises and offer better value for money for taxpayers over the longer term.”

The cost of a train ticket could rise even more steeply next year, after this year’s rises were capped at July’s rate of inflation plus 1% by the Government.

For the next two years, fares are to rise by July’s rate of inflation plus 3%.

Public funding for the railways has dropped by one third in the past five years.

Currently, passengers contribute about £6.5bn and taxpayers £4bn a year to the running of the railways.