Next year’s increase in the price of rail season tickets in Wales will be held below inflation, the Welsh Government has announced.
The increase is 3% less than the maximum increase in England.
Transport and Economy Minister Edwina Hart said the maximum allowable increase of regulated rail fares from 9.1% to 6.1% for the Arriva Trains Wales franchise.
The reduction in the regulated rail fares will be implemented from January 2014 and is in line with the changes being made by the Department for Transport for English services in the Wales and Borders franchise, as well as their England-based franchises.
The move means that Arriva Trains Wales could not increase individual regulated fares beyond a maximum of RPI+3%, compared with the current maximum allowed under the franchise of RPI+6%. The overall increase allowed for regulated fares, averaged across all regulated fares, remains unchanged at RPI+1%.
The new measures agreed with Arriva Trains Wales to make ticketing easier and reduce fares include:
- Season ticket price increases on all Arriva Trains Wales’ Welsh routes to be held to below RPI (3.1%) for January 2014. This is 3% less than the maximum increase announced for England.
- The introduction of a discounted multi-ticket purchase system to enable more flexible travel at a lower price, which will benefit part-time workers.
- A review of the zonal fares system currently in place on the Valley Lines network. Initially, this will include the elimination of Zone Six fares on the Maesteg line to bring it into line with fares on other Valley Lines routes.
- A range of measures to make it easier to purchase tickets including 28 new Ticket Vending Machines across the Wales and Borders franchise and a trial of smart ticketing for mobile phones on Valley Lines services.
Transport Minister, Edwina Hart said: “This announcement will help keep down the cost of rail fares and ensure consistency with increases in rail fares across the border.
“I am also pleased to announce we have agreed a range of measures with Arriva Trains Wales to make rail travel in Wales easier and more affordable.
“This demonstrates the Welsh Government’s commitment to encouraging greater use of public transport to meet our aims of improving access to jobs and services and reducing reliance on the car to tackle carbon emissions.”
The Welsh Government announcement follows a report published by women’s economic development charity Chwarae Teg, and sustainable transport charity, Sustrans Cymru which argued for rail discounts to be made available to part-time workers.
The two organisations said part-time commuters between Cardiff and Caerphilly could save £240 a year if the same discount for a season ticket was applied on a part-time basis.
Christine O’Byrne of Chwarae Teg said: “Women face significant disadvantage in the workplace, often finding themselves working in low-paid, part-time jobs. Furthermore, public cuts and welfare reforms are having a serious impact on women’s incomes.
“Allowing part-time workers to benefit from the same rate of saving on travel as full-time workers would greatly reduce financial pressures for women as they are more likely than men to use public transport to get to work.”