I don’t know about you, but I haven’t been feeling very optimistic about the New Year. With a Christmas General Election, Brexit continuing to dominate everything and the terrifying reality of climate change, 2020 does not feel like it will be another ‘Roaring Twenties’. Now, to add to the general sense of festive cheer (heavy sarcasm here kids), it’s just been announced by train operators that rail fares in Britain across the board will rise by an average of 2.7% in January.
Publishing their 2020 fares on Saturday November 30, the rail industry argued that it “was keeping fares marginally below the RPI inflation rate used to cap regulated fares, which include season tickets and off-peak returns and account for just under half of all tickets sold.”
Speaking on the issue, the chief executive of the Campaign for Better Transport, Darren Shirley, said: “January’s above-inflation fare rise will no doubt leave passengers dismayed after years of appalling service.”
Many have taken to social media to express their anger: “Life is just annual rail fare increases until you die. Please for the love of God nationalise these useless tossers [sic],” one tweeted.
“Rail fare increase of 2.7% in January. And yet as the price increases, does the quality of service increase also? Does it bugger like! Increasing late trains, cancellations, minimal carriages packed full of people. Fuck HS2. Spend that money on improving the whole network [sic],” another said.
The news comes as thousands of Brits are planning festive journeys across the country, whether to visit family and friends or for festive days out at Christmas markets, ice skating or for Christmas shopping. It also comes as many of us face Christmas strikes that are planned to continue from December and through to the end of the year.
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