Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of freezing rail fares.

As we reform fares and deliver Great British Railways, we must ensure passengers and taxpayers get a fair deal. Since the pandemic, the amount of taxpayer subsidy provided to the railway industry has increased from under a quarter in 2018/19 to almost half of total income in 2023/24. No decisions have been made on next year’s rail fares, but our aim is that prices balance affordability for both passengers and taxpayers.

In addition, it is a number one priority for this Government to get the railways back to a place where people can rely on them, which is why we are putting passengers at the heart of our plans for public ownership and Great British Railways, delivering the services they deserve and driving growth.