Correspondence behind the scenes on this one confirms that this is indeed the second rise in a year on these fares, and the total rise is somewhere over 10%
The article last December - referred to above - says (I have quoted selectively)
Regulated rail fares in England will rise by up to 5.9% from March, the Department for Transport has announced.
The rise is being capped at a level well below inflation, "to help reduce the impact on passengers", the transport secretary said.
Fares will officially rise on 5 March 2023.
Before the Covid pandemic, fares were raised in January each year, based on the retail prices index (RPI▸ ) measure of inflation from the previous July.
Inflation is the rate at which prices rise, and the normal formula for fares is RPI plus 1%.
However, the government said that "for this year only" rail fare increases for 2023 would be capped at 5.9%, well below July's RPI figure of 12.3%.
My understanding is that there is not quite a promise in there that this is the
only increase for 2023, just that that the
regular (routine?) rise will be 5.9%.
Apparently, according to
GWR▸ on the normal formula a rise of up to 12.3% is allowed, so this second rise is still within the national rules. I
personally don't buy that interpretation - I think it's a very naughty piece of manipulating indeed of what we were told last December, breaking a promise of increases being limited for 2023 to under 6%.
Having expressed my - disgust - at the way "they" have gone about this second fare rise in a year above the headline rate, I can understand the desire to increase revenue, and to do so from primarily the leisure (off peak) traffic flows rather that the more emotive flows such as commuters to work and school kids. I also note the increase is on what are typically the lower fare brackets; a double edged sword - on one hand, people (especially irregulars) won't notice "a few pence", but on the other hand they'll need an awful lot of these extra "few pence"s to make a significant percentage gain in the overall farebox income.
We have often said before our fare system is a mess and needs sorting out. And changes such as the one in this thread will be just a skirmish in a major war if an overall update is sneaked in by the back door. But, yet, the current system is too complex for its own good, scaring people away, but having to create winners and loser in its correction. I know the saying is "careful what you wish for", but I wish someone was brave enough to sort it out and not tinker around the edges.
Big "thank you" to correspondents who have helped me understand and clarify. I don't live in Devon or Cornwall nor visit there very often; not really my battle to fight and I have more relevant fish to fry, so I'm moving on. But I'm moving on with the acquired knowledge of another trick that's been added to the playlist, and a knowledge that we (travelling customers) must partner with the providers, but maintain our guard and cannot be as trusting as we might like. Pity.
