Rail fares hike is another 'kick in the teeth'

Rail fares will go up in January, the government has confirmed

The Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester, Bev Hughes, has reacted angrily to the news that passengers are set to be hit by a 3.2% increase to regulated rail fares.

Fares will go up in January, the government has confirmed, with the cost of some season tickets to rise by hundreds of pounds.

The figure is below the 3.6% increase to regulated fares in January this year, the steepest in five years, but continues the trend of fare increases far outstripping average wage rises.

Ms Hughes said: “After months of misery rail passengers are once again being kicked in the teeth by the Government. 

"Even after mass cancellations, an emergency timetable and the continuing shambles we see every Sunday, passengers are still set to be hit by these fare hikes.

“The Transport Secretary said earlier this year that the North’s railway and passengers were his number one priority. 

"It is still not too late for Chris Grayling to live up to his own ambitions by freezing the fares for northern passengers. 

“Right now we have a situation where the majority of Greater Manchester passengers aren’t eligible for the compensation package that’s being lauded by Ministers.

"It’s simply not good enough.

“The crisis on the North’s railways has not gone away, passengers are still having to put up with a shamefully sub-standard service here. 

"A fare freeze is the least passengers deserve.”

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