Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to (a) cap rail fares and (b) provide targeted concessions to (i) young people, (ii) students, and (iii) people in rural areas disproportionately affected by fare rises.

The Government caps the amount by which regulated fares can increase each year. Regulated fares make up around 45% of rail fares and include commuter fares, such as season ticket and shorter-distance peak singles and returns, alongside longer-distance off-peak singles and returns. Whilst the fares increase cap applies to regulated fares only, train operators have typically adopted a very similar approach for non-regulated fares.

Young people and students (as well as senior citizens, disabled people, veterans and other groups) are offered discounted rail fares from existing railcard schemes.

Regarding the impact of fares increases on people in rural areas, low income commuters and key workers, any long-term changes to rail fares policy requires balancing against the potential impacts on passengers, taxpayers and the railway.