Government hikes
train fares by 4.6% and increases
cost of railcards
in blow tocommuters
as part
of Rachel Reeves' £40b tax bomb
Budget
Government hikes train fares by 4.6% and increases cost of railcards in blow
to commuters as part of Rachel Reeves' £40b tax bomb Budget
Calculator shows how much more YOU will pay after tax bomb Budget
Follow the latest updates on today’s Budget in our MailOnline live blog
By Shannon Mcguigan
Published: 10:26 GMT, 31 October 2024 | Updated: 10:53 GMT, 31 October 2024
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Commuters have been delivered a blow by Rachel Reeves 's new £40 billion tax
bomb budget as train fares are set to rise by 4.6 per cent.
Railcard holders aren't safe from price hikes either, with the cost set to go
up £5 by March 2, 2025 'subject to an industry proposal'.
The new announcement comes with the likelihood of higher Tube prices, however
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has the authority to set a different price.
The increase in fares is one percentage point above July's Retail Prices Index
(RPI) measure of inflation , which until 2023 was used by Westminster
governments to set the cap on annual rises in regulated fares.
Labour's Budget document said the 4.6 per cent rise in train fares would be
'the lowest absolute increase in three years', however it will come as little
consolation for travellers already feeling the immense pressure of the
cost-of-living crisis.
It comes as the fallout from yesterday's tax bomb budget, which targeted
businesses, pensioners and farmers, continues:
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Regulated train prices are set to go up by 4.6 per cent in Rachel Reeves's new
budget (stock image)
Its another blow to commuters who will also see railcard prices go up by £5 by
March next year (file image)
In 2023 train fares soared by 4.9 per cent, in an increased dubbed as 'brutal'
by Louise Haigh who was then the shadow transport secretary.
About 45 per cent of fares on Britain's• Великобритания railways are regulated by the
Westminster, Scottish and Welsh Governments.
They include season tickets on most commuter journeys, some off-peak return
tickets on long-distance routes, and flexible tickets for travel around
cities.
Regulated tickets do not include fares set by train businesses themselves,
including the cost of advance and first class tickets.
Increases in unregulated fares are determined by train operators, however
these are probable to be very similar to regulated ticket prices.
Read More
Labour's tax bomb leaves Britons £300 worse off as UK• Великобритания faces highest tax
burden EVER
Train companies decisions on prices are heavily influenced by governments
because of contracts introduced during the coronavirus pandemic.
Railcard prices are also set to increase by nearly 17 per cent, however this
will be 'subject to industry proposal'
The price of disabled passenger railcards will remain the same.
Previously railcards cost £30 a year, and bagged the average user savings of
'up to £158' every year, according to the Treasury.
It comes as Mayor of London• Объект организация » Организации по алфавиту » Организации на Ад » Администрация Большого Лондона » Мэр Лондона Sadiq Khan previously announced his freeze on
Transport for London fares would only be in place until March 2025.
At the time he opted against hiking up prices despite assumptions it would
increase at the rate of national rail fares.
However the government's decision to increase regulated rail fare could mean
an increase in tube and bus prices in London.
The bus fare in London currently stands at £1.75, and is the cheapest in the
country.
A spokesperson for the Mayor said: 'Once a final decision on the 2025 fares
package has been made, this will be published as per usual.'
MailOnline has approached Transport for London and Rail Delivery Group for
comment.
Previously railcards cost £30 a year, and bagged the average user savings of
'up to £158' every year, according to the Treasury
It is expected that tube prices will also go up in March 2025, after Sadiq
Khan's partial freeze comes to an end
However commuters are not the only ones hard hit by Labour's budget bomb, as
business• Экономика » Бизнес owners, pensioners and those inheriting bearing the brunt of the new
plans.
Hikes in National Insurance• Страхование and minimum wage are set to hit business• Экономика » Бизнес owners,
with senior industry figures declaring it would bring growth to 'a grinding
halt'.
NICs will not be increased for employees, but it is likely to have a knock-on
impact after Ms Reeves vowed not to target 'working people' and instead hit
firms in order to raise revenues.
The Budget will also raid pension pots as the sums will n ow also be included
in estates and caught in the net• Страхование » Нетто of inheritance taxes.
This means thousands of grieving families will be dragged into paying the
dreaded death duty for the first time at a rate of 40 per cent.
Budget Labour Rachel Reeves TFL Sadiq Khan