Currently set at a 34% reduction, train companies are seizing the opportunity provided by relaxed system restrictions to impose a marginal decrease to 33.4% off…reports Asian Lite News
Rail operators are poised to cut railcard discounts, a move which pro-rail advocates are labelling “a step in the wrong direction”. Fare reductions will be trimmed from the current 34% to 33.4% starting September 15.
Railcards set to experience the impact include those used by key passenger demographics such as individuals aged 16-30 or over 60, families with children, disabled passengers, and military veterans. Currently set at a 34% reduction, train companies are seizing the opportunity provided by relaxed system restrictions to impose a marginal decrease to 33.4% off.
For railcard holders, fare hikes will see prices ascend from £194.15 to £195.90 for an Anytime Return ticket from Cardiff to London, and a bump from £72.60 to £73.25 for the Birmingham to Manchester trip. Earlier in June, sections concerning railcard discounts on the National Rail Enquiries website were altered to excise all references to the previous 34% discount.
Though most railcard promotions claim the cards yield savings of one-third on standard fares, a number of operators, like East Midlands Railway and Heathrow Express, continue to promote the 34% discount.
Bruce Williamson, from the transport advocacy group Railfuture, said: “Whilst this represents a very tiny increase in fares for some passengers, it’s a step in the wrong direction.”
He questioned the rationale behind the move by saying: “As the slogan goes, every little helps, so why risk irritating passengers for a few pence?”
Michael Solomon Williams from the Campaign for Better Transport has urged for a northern network railcard to be introduced, arguing it would make the system “fairer” and give passengers in the north of England “the same discount offered to many of their southern counterparts by regional railcards”.
A Railcard spokesperson defended the value of the discount cards, which are managed on behalf of train operators, stating: “The cost of a Railcard hasn’t increased for over 10 years and will continue to provide customers with a third off their rail fare for just £30 a year a cost that can be made back in just one or two journeys.”
The rail industry is actively working to increase fares income, which still hasn’t bounced back to pre-pandemic levels. According to the Office of Rail and Road, passenger revenue was at £10.3 billion for the year ending March, a decrease from £12.7 billion recorded in 2019-20.
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