The train fares increasing in March instead of January in the last few years.

[stadler]

For as long as i can remember the rail fares have always increased on the 1st of January each year. But in the last couple years they have suddenly changed it and it is being done in March now.

Why was this change made? Does anyone know the reason behind doing this? I am just curious what benefit there is in doing it in March instead of the traditional 1st of January that has always been done before? Also is the change to March permanent now and will be done every year going forward?

I would much prefer the traditional 1st of January fare increase. This is easy to remember that they go up right at the beginning of each year. The new March change always hits so many people by surprise as nobody expects the fare increase in the middle of the year. Obviously i would rather no fare increase but if they are going to increase than the 1st of January makes much more sense.

 

[CyrusWuff]

For as long as i can remember the rail fares have always increased on the 1st of January each year. But in the last couple years they have suddenly changed it and it is being done in March now.

Why was this change made? Does anyone know the reason behind doing this? I am just curious what benefit there is in doing it in March instead of the traditional 1st of January that has always been done before? Also is the change to March permanent now and will be done every year going forward?

It first happened in 2021, having been announced in December 2020. The Press Release is at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/rail-fare-rise-to-be-delayed with the justification being that:

The government will delay the normal annual January change to rail fares until 1 March next year (2021), offering a significant window for commuters who cannot work at home to purchase cheaper season tickets at the existing rate and allowing greater flexibility in uncertain times.

Late notification of the increase happened again for the 2022, 2023 and 2024 changes. For 2025, it was announced as part of the budget but is still delayed until March.

I'm not particularly bothered either way, but if March is to be kept as the new January, they should really push everything else back two months, meaning:

• September RPI should be used as the basis for the increase to regulated fares instead of July
• The May fares change should move to July
• The September fares change should move to November

To get back to a January fares change, they'd really have to skip one of the other two (probably the May one) one year so as to avoid having two in quick succession.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

It's all about politics really.
The government (either sort) wants to announce fares increases like other benefits rates in the autumn statement, which gives too short a time to implement for January.
The old system, without government interference, used the July (I think) inflation figures to roll into the RPI+x formula, in time for a January rise.
It might all change again under GBR.

 

[Paul Kelly]

For as long as i can remember the rail fares have always increased on the 1st of January each year.

I think you may have misremembered; certainly since I have been interested in UK rail fares (around 15 years) it was traditionally always on the 2nd of January,

 

[CyrusWuff]

I think you may have misremembered; certainly since I have been interested in UK rail fares (around 15 years) it was traditionally always on the 2nd of January,

Until around 2007 or 2008 (when TfL moved to a fixed 2nd January) it was either the first or second Sunday in January.

 

[Paul Kelly]

Until around 2007 or 2008 (when TfL moved to a fixed 2nd January) it was either the first or second Sunday in January.

Very interesting; thanks. So it's not such an immovable thing as we were supposing!

 

[Jan Mayen]

Didn't the railway unions ask for the increase to be moved from 1st to 2nd January, so staff didn't have to deal with grumpy passengers on New Years Day?

 

[Hadders]

From a PR point of view an increase in January doesn't work.

It's normally slow-news around Christmas and New Year with journalists looking for easy stories to write - rail fares increases being an obvious candidate.
You get all the bad publicity on 2nd January then they have another go a few days later when many people return to work after the extended Christmas break.

At least in March there's normally more 'news' about so less opportunity to bash the railway.

 

[Haywain]

You get all the bad publicity on 2nd January then they have another go a few days later when many people return to work after the extended Christmas break.

And that's after all the bad publicity four weeks before the new fares came into effect!

 

[swt_passenger]

And that's after all the bad publicity four weeks before the new fares came into effect!

And not forgetting that the same story was run a few months previously when the inflation rate was published…