Rail fares rise, but better news on buses
Hello
We urgently need affordable public transport, not just because it's good for our neighbourhoods and our planet, but because millions of people rely on it. You might have seen us making the case for fair fares recently, for instance in the Guardian and the Independent, and you might have helped, by emailing your MP through our website. Thank you very much for any help you have given to this important campaign.
First, the bad news. Rail fares have just risen by almost six per cent. Sure, this rise is below inflation, and in that respect it could have been worse, but it's still the highest fare rise in a decade. Coming after a year of disruption on the railways it's a bitter blow.
And it's especially frustrating given that Fuel Duty has been cut, and Air Passenger Duty for internal flights will soon be cut too.
It seems a no-brainer that rail - the green way to travel - should be made the affordable choice.
We will strengthen our campaigning for simpler, fairer, more affordable rail fares. The Government has promised a 'root and branch' reform of the ticketing system and we will fight to ensure it provides a better deal for passengers.
Now for the good news. The other thing we've been campaigning hard for - with your help - is an extension of the £2 bus fare cap. I'm very happy to tell you that the Government has listened, and extended the cap for a further three months. That means £2 single fares across England will run into the spring and summer and hopefully tempt many more people to give the bus a try!
The RAC Foundation keeps track of how transport costs have changed over the years, with a brilliant interactive graph. It's such a relief to see the cost of bus travel going DOWN after a decade of rocketing fares, thanks to the £2 bus fare cap that we campaigned for! But we'll keep calling for the cap to be extended further, and better marketed so that more people know about it.
Goodbye till next time
Paul
Paul Tuohy, Chief Executive, Campaign for Better Transport
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