What a coincidence! Just yesterday, I posted an article suggesting that rail fare consultation should be sought to give the general public input on options, and also shared my thoughts on reforming the fare and ticketing system to make it simpler.
From: HM Treasury Press Release: First rail freeze in 30 years to ease the cost of living
Rail fares frozen for the first time in 30 years in historic intervention to deliver real savings for millions of commuters.
Millions of commuters across the country will benefit from a freeze on rail fares for the first time in 30 years, the Chancellor and Transport Secretary have announced today, helping with the cost of living and supporting economic growth.
The Chancellor is set to freeze fares at the Budget, with passengers not paying a penny more on season tickets, peak returns for commuters and off-peak returns between major cities.
The move will save commuters hundreds of pounds off their season tickets, freeze costs for travellers, and support growth in town centres across the country.
Commuters on the more expensive routes will save more than £300 per year.
It comes as the Chancellor is set to deliver a Budget that makes the fair choices to deliver on the country’s priorities to cut NHS waiting lists, cut national debt and cut the cost of living.
With transport costs making up 14% of household spending, the cost-cutting move will provide real savings - delivering on the government’s commitment to put more money in working people’s pockets. It will also directly limit inflation by holding down a major component of everyday costs.
The changes are part of the government’s plans to rebuild a publicly owned Great British Railway that the country can rely on and be proud of.
Great British Railways will deliver value for money through bringing rail tickets into the 21st century with tap in tap out and digital ticketing, alongside investing in superfast WiFi.
Commuters on some of the busiest routes will see significant savings. For example, a typical commuter travelling to work 3 days a week using flexi-season tickets, will save:
£315 per year, travelling from Milton Keynes to London
£173 per year, travelling from Woking to London
£57 per year, travelling from Bradford to Leeds
The freeze will apply to all regulated fares, including seasons, peak returns for commuters and off-peak returns between major cities, benefitting more than a billion passenger journeys across England.
The Railways Bill will create Great British Railways (GBR), a new publicly owned company, that will run and manage the tracks and trains used every day – ending years of fragmentation, driving up standards for passengers, and making journey easier and better value for money.
GBR will be accountable to passengers and taxpayers, bringing fares and ticketing into the 21st century, including through a new GBR website and app and building on the expansion of successful Pay As You Go and fares trials across the country.
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As part of the Treasury's rail fare freeze, it is hoped that we may also see a freeze on Day and seasonal Travelcard prices, alongside the daily and weekly caps for Oyster and contactless Pay As You Go systems.
Meanwhile, in Scotland, the government abolished morning peak fares from 1st September 2025 to encourage off-peak travel. This offers significant savings, such as 48% on the Glasgow to Edinburgh route, and follows a successful year-long trial that ran between October 2023 and September 2024.
As for the railways in Wales, there are currently no updates regarding their fares.
A freeze on rail fares is not merely a cost-of-living measure; it also acts as a powerful incentive for travellers to switch from cars to trains, unlocking significant environmental and societal benefits. By making rail travel a more financially competitive option, the policy directly encourages a reduction in car use.
This modal shift has wide-ranging positive effects: it helps to cut road congestion, reduces harmful emissions, and lowers the likelihood of traffic collisions. Less congestion and fewer accidents also improve overall road safety, enabling emergency services to reach incidents more quickly. In addition, smoother and less congested roads lead to more reliable deliveries, better-performing bus services, and a more predictable travel experience for everyone.
In essence, this stability in rail pricing supports increased ridership and moves the country towards a more sustainable, efficient, and safer transport future.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Treasury's announcement of the first rail fare freeze in 30 years marks a welcome and historic intervention aimed at providing immediate relief to millions of commuters facing the cost of living crisis, a move that is already delivering hundreds of pounds in savings on regulated fares. This policy shift takes place while Scotland pushes ahead with a different approach, permanently abolishing morning peak fares from September 2025 following a successful trial, highlighting equally impactful regional initiatives to boost rail affordability. The focus now shifts to the ultimate success of the publicly owned Great British Railways (GBR) and whether this crucial stability on prices will translate into the deeper, simpler ticketing and fare system reform that both the public and industry observers—as I recently advocated—have long called for.
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