Petition Fair rail fare rises for commuters

Year on year, the rail companies are allowed to increase their fares at a rate which is higher than inflation. Many who work around the country have seen, at best, modest pay increases that don't keep up with inflation. Many more have had no pay rise or even a cut in pay. Yet the cost of getting to work has been increasing at an unreasonable rate. A lot of commuters have no choice but to use the trains, so these increases are noticeable and cause real financial hardship for many. Inflation busting fare rises need to be stopped and, in some cases, reversed. There ought to be an enquiry into rail fares that actually takes into account what the average person can afford. People talk of fuel poverty when a certain amount of income is spent on keeping warm. For many, a substantial amount of income is spent on commuting. Failure to address this may have economic consequences, especially if the only people who can afford to get to work are those earning higher than average salaries.