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Birmingham Post
Birmingham Post
Business
Owen Hughes

Welsh Government sets Transport for Wales rail ticket price cap for the year

Rail ticket prices in Wales are set to increase next month.

The Department for Transport announced in December that ticket price increases in England will be capped at 3.8% from March 1.

Welsh Government has now confirmed the same cap for Transport for Wales(TfW) from March.

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The 3.8% figure is from July's Retail Prices Index (RPI) measure of inflation.

The annual inflationary change to regulated rail fares for the Wales and Borders Franchise is set at RPI+1% within the TfW Rail contract in line with the rail industry.

But Welsh Ministers have the power to vary this if they choose.

As RPI was at 3.8% in July 2021 an RPI+1% increase would have seen a 4.8% increase in regulated fares.

Welsh Government said the Deputy Minister for Climate Change Lee Waters chose to vary this rise to keep ticket prices lower for passengers.

While it is below the current inflation rate of more than 5% it will still eat in to the budgets of commuters and other regular rail users.

It comes at a time when governments are working to get more people off the roads and on public transport to help tackle climate change as well as reduce congestion.

Welsh Government said: "The Deputy Minister for Climate Change has agreed to set the 2022 Regulated Rail Fares increase to RPI+0% taking effect from 1 March 2022."

Transport for Wales have been asked to comment.

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