Merseyrail
RAIL fares on Merseyrail will rise by 5% in January, while fares to destinations outside Merseyside will go up by 8% for the majority of journeys.
The blow to commuters comes as rail workers on First Transpennine Express, which runs trains to Manchester and Leeds, voted for strike action over a pay row.
The extent of passengers’ pain was revealed when the Office for National Statistics (ONS) published the July 2011 inflation figures.
They showed that while the consumer price index (CPI) rate of inflation rose from 4.2% in June to 4.4% in July, retail price index (RPI) inflation was unchanged at 5.0%.
The July RPI figure determines the following January’s increase in regulated rail fares, which include season tickets.
Merseyrail has a 25-year franchise with Merseytravel, which sees prices pegged to RPI.
A £3.15 fare will cost around £3.30 from January.
But other train operators are allowed to increase fares by RPI plus 3%.
