ATOC

ATOC outlines rail fare rises
_______________________________________________________________

date 8 December 2003
source ATOC
type Press release

The Association of Train Operating Companies announced today that from Sunday 4th January 2004, rail fares across the UK will rise as follows:

Regulated fares (eg season tickets, standard day tickets, savers on long-distance journeys) will rise on average by 4.1%

Unregulated fares (eg supersavers, cheap day tickets, standard tickets on long-distance routes, advance purchase. off-peak travelcards) will vary with average fare rises mostly around 4%.

The increases in regulated fares are higher than in January 2003 due to the change in fares regime announced by the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) in June 2003. This means regulated fares rise by RPI +1% instead of by RPI –1%. The RPI figure is based on the rate of inflation in June 2003, which was 3.1%.
Between 1995 and 2003, standard class fares have risen in real terms by just 0.6%. Regulated Standard Class fares decreased in real terms by 6.6% while the real terms increase for unregulated standard class tickets over the period was 7.8%.

There is no financial gain for train operators from the change to the regulated fares regime as the extra revenue raised will be channelled back to the SRA to fund the continuing modernisation programme of Britain’s railways.

Equally, the additional revenue raised by train companies from unregulated fares will be channelled into making further improvements to train services.
Under the Passengers’ Charter, those train companies failing to meet performance benchmarks are continuing to provide discounts of generally 5% for Season Ticket holders renewing their ticket (train operators currently paying the Passenger Charter discounts are listed in the table below). Passengers’ charter discounts for the period Sunday 14th December to Saturday 10th January will be published at major stations from Saturday 13th December onwards.

Commenting on the rises George Muir, ATOC Director-General, said:

"This is the first real terms rise in regulated fares for seven years. Fares have got to rise to pay for the huge investment programmes the industry is now putting in to deliver a railway network fit for the 21st century.

ENDS

ATOC Press Office on 020 7904 3010


Notes to Editors

The Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) is the official voice for the passenger rail industry – representing train companies to the government and other opinion formers on transport policy issues. Britain’s train operators are working together to change rail travel for the better.
ATOC manages many joint activities for train operators including revenue allocation and settlement, impartial retailing, the National Rail Enquiry Service (NRES), Railcard marketing, staff travel arrangements, international products and travel agent licensing.

Fares summary by train operator


Train Company

Average regulated fares rise

Average unregulated fares rise

Passengers Charter discount on season ticket renewals up to 13 December


Anglia

Increases of between 0.7 and 3.2% on main line season tickets only. No other increases

No increases

5% - Anglia Main line, East Suffolk and Peterborough/ Cambridge services


Arriva Trains Northern

4.1%

5.1%

5% - Northern Short and South Yorkshire Short services


C2c

4.1%

4.1%

1% Annual Season Ticket renewals receive


Central Trains

4.1%

3.1%

10% Cross Country and East Midlands & Lincs services


Chiltern Railways

4.1%

Under 1%

Nil


First Great Eastern

4.1%

4.1%

Nil


First Great Western

4.1%

1.2% No increase for advance purchase fares.

5%


First North Western

4.1%

3.1%

5% - Manchester North & South, and Lancs & Cumbria Rural, and Inter Urban North West Express services


Gatwick Express

4.1%

4% No increase in Standard Open singles and returns

Nil


GNER

4.1%.

4%. Most advance purchase fares are unchanged

5%


Hull Trains

No rise

No rises

Nil


Island Line

No rise

No rises

Nil


Merseyrail Electrics

3.1%

3.1%

Nil


Midland Mainline

4.1%

2.4%

10%


ScotRail

4.1% (no rise in SPT area)

No rise.

5% - Central, East and SPTA routes


Silverlink

4.1%

6%

Nil


South Central

4.1%

4.1%

5% - South London Lines and Sussex Coast services


South Eastern Trains

4.1%

4.1%
No increase on Pricebuster fares

5% - Kent Link & Kent Coast


South West Trains

4.1%

3.1%

5% - Main line & suburban routes


Thameslink

4.1%

4.1%

5% - Northern services


Thames Trains

4.1%

4.1%

5%


Valley Lines

4.1%

4.1%

5% - monthly or longer renewals except Annual Season Ticket renewals receive 8%


Virgin Cross Country

4.1%

6%

5%


Virgin West Coast

4.1%

4.1%

5%


WAGN

4.1%

6%

5% - monthly or longer except Annual Season Ticket renewals receive 14% on Great Northern Inner & Outer and West Anglian Inner & outer services


Wales & Borders

4.1%

4.1% No increase in advance purchase tickets

5% - monthly or longer
renewals except Annual Season Ticket renewals receive 8% on Cambrian, Wales & England, and Marches routes


Wessex Trains

4.1%

4.1% No increase in advance purchase tickets

5% - monthly or longer Wessex renewals except Annual Season Ticket renewals receive 8% on Main line & Bristol Area Services


London Travelcard – for train companies participating in the London Travelcard (zones 1 – 6)
Fares are set jointly by Transport for London (TfL) and train companies. They will rise by an average of 3.1% (RPI). The all zones Off Peak Day Travelcard will rise by 5.9%.

Railhub Archive ::: 2003-12-08 ATO-001