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| Rail fares to rise by up to 3.6% | Rail fares to rise by up to 3.6% |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Millions of rail users in the UK will see a 3.6% increase in regulated rail fares from January 2018. | |
| Train operators can raise fares by as much as the Retail Prices Index (RPI) figure for July. This figure is the highest since 2011, when it was 5%. | |
| Passenger groups said commuters would be worst-hit, and suggested that the RPI measure should be scrapped. | Passenger groups said commuters would be worst-hit, and suggested that the RPI measure should be scrapped. |
| The most widely watched and used figure, the Consumer Prices Index (CPI), was unchanged at 2.6%. | |
| The ONS' James Tucker, said the body was aware of the drawbacks of using RPI as a benchmark: "We know there will be a focus on the RPI this month, but the National Statistician has been clear it is not a good measure and we do not recommend its use. | |
| The rises will affect "anytime" and some off-peak fares as well as season tickets in England and Wales. | The rises will affect "anytime" and some off-peak fares as well as season tickets in England and Wales. |
| In Scotland, it is mainly commuters who will be affected, with off-peak fares rising by a smaller amount. | In Scotland, it is mainly commuters who will be affected, with off-peak fares rising by a smaller amount. |
| The Scottish government currently limits rises in off-peak fares to RPI minus 1%. | The Scottish government currently limits rises in off-peak fares to RPI minus 1%. |
| There are no plans for increases in Northern Ireland. | There are no plans for increases in Northern Ireland. |
| Unregulated fares, which include super off-peak travel and advance tickets, will be set in December. | Unregulated fares, which include super off-peak travel and advance tickets, will be set in December. |
| Transport Focus, which represents the interests of passengers, said rail users were already fed up with getting poor value for money. | Transport Focus, which represents the interests of passengers, said rail users were already fed up with getting poor value for money. |
| "Wages are not keeping pace with inflation and performance remains patchy," said a spokesperson for the group. | "Wages are not keeping pace with inflation and performance remains patchy," said a spokesperson for the group. |
| "Passengers, especially commuters, face potential strike action, the consequences of the continual rise in passenger numbers, and disruption caused by railway upgrades." | "Passengers, especially commuters, face potential strike action, the consequences of the continual rise in passenger numbers, and disruption caused by railway upgrades." |
| Transport Focus said it would also like to see the RPI measure replaced by the Consumer Prices Index (CPI), which is typically lower than RPI. | Transport Focus said it would also like to see the RPI measure replaced by the Consumer Prices Index (CPI), which is typically lower than RPI. |
| Analysis: Richard Westcott, transport correspondent | Analysis: Richard Westcott, transport correspondent |
| Oh the irony... regulated fares were meant to be the government's way of stopping private rail firms from overcharging passengers. | Oh the irony... regulated fares were meant to be the government's way of stopping private rail firms from overcharging passengers. |
| They apply to tickets where people don't have much choice but to go by train: commuting into big cities, for example. | They apply to tickets where people don't have much choice but to go by train: commuting into big cities, for example. |
| But for many years, ministers have deliberately used the system to put prices up anyway. Why? Because they want passengers to pay a bigger chunk of the rail bill, so that the government pays less. | But for many years, ministers have deliberately used the system to put prices up anyway. Why? Because they want passengers to pay a bigger chunk of the rail bill, so that the government pays less. |
| Fares used to account for about half the cost of running our trains. Today it's about 70%. | Fares used to account for about half the cost of running our trains. Today it's about 70%. |
| It does mean, of course, that people who don't commute by train, which is most of the country, pay less to subsidise the system. | It does mean, of course, that people who don't commute by train, which is most of the country, pay less to subsidise the system. |
| But that's little consolation to workers who've faced consistent price rises that have often outpaced their salary. Even allowing for inflation, rail fares have gone up by about 25% since the mid-1990s. | But that's little consolation to workers who've faced consistent price rises that have often outpaced their salary. Even allowing for inflation, rail fares have gone up by about 25% since the mid-1990s. |
| I've spoken to many passengers - often young people at the start of their careers - who're on the brink of changing jobs because they can't afford the increases. | I've spoken to many passengers - often young people at the start of their careers - who're on the brink of changing jobs because they can't afford the increases. |
| 'Fairly balanced' | 'Fairly balanced' |
| The government said fare increases were justified by improvements to the network. | The government said fare increases were justified by improvements to the network. |
| "We are investing in the biggest rail modernisation programme for over a century to improve services for passengers - providing faster and better trains with more seats," a spokesperson for the Department for Transport said. | "We are investing in the biggest rail modernisation programme for over a century to improve services for passengers - providing faster and better trains with more seats," a spokesperson for the Department for Transport said. |
| "We have always fairly balanced the cost of this investment between the taxpayer and the passenger." | "We have always fairly balanced the cost of this investment between the taxpayer and the passenger." |
| The Rail Delivery Group, which represents train operators, said there would be an extra 170,000 seats for commuters by the end of 2019. | The Rail Delivery Group, which represents train operators, said there would be an extra 170,000 seats for commuters by the end of 2019. |
| The Department for Transport also rejected the idea of using CPI to determine price rises. | The Department for Transport also rejected the idea of using CPI to determine price rises. |
| It said RPI was used across the rail industry - for example in calculating the cost of running train services. | It said RPI was used across the rail industry - for example in calculating the cost of running train services. |
| Are you affected by the fare increases? Do you pay more than £5,000 on rail fares? You can email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your experiences. | |
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