Rail commuters will have to pay 3.1% more to travel in new year

From January 2, 2019, millions of commuters across Britain could have to pay around 3.1 per cent more for their train tickets.

This follows on from the increase this year alone, which was 2.9 per cent. This percentage next year could mean some commuters have to pay around £100 more.

The news was announced by the Rail Delivery Group, an industry body. The increase will affect around 40 per cent of fares across the country.

Rail Delivery Group’s chief executive, Paul Plummer, said: “Nobody wants to pay more to travel, especially those who experienced significant disruption earlier this year.

“Money from fares is underpinning the improvements to the railway that passengers want and which ultimately help boost the wider economy.”

The rise is regulated by the UK, Scottish and Welsh governments, and often capped at this summer’s 3.2 per cent RPI figure.

Despite this, the Rail Delivery Group has pledged that train companies are introducing 7,000 new carriages and supporting over 6,000 services per week by 2021, meaning a ‘better service’ could be in place.