Ken Skates, Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales
Each year we have to make decisions on changes to regulated rail fares in Wales, balancing the need to keep cost increases as low as possible for passengers whilst also ensuring that Transport for Wales are able to collect enough revenue to meet their rising costs and reduce subsidy.
This year we have agreed to an overall increase in regulated rail fares of 4.6% with the increase to take place on 2 March 2025. This is in line with the increase already announced for fares controlled by the UK Government. However, Transport for Wales will be applying different increases to each regulated product. Anytime Day Single fares will increase by 3%, 7-Day Season ticket fares will increase by 3.5% and Anytime Day Return fares and Off Peak Return fares will both increase by 6%.
We understand that any increase in fares is unwelcome for passengers, but we have tried to keep the increase as low as possible. It is also important to recognise that the increasing majority of passengers no longer use these regulated products. They are a vestige of the privatised railway, established to ensure that private operators could not drive huge increases in fares to maximise their profits at the expense of passengers outside the control of Governments. It is my hope that with the progress of rail reform, the return of railway services into the public sector that this will see the end of the need for regulated rail fares with public sector operators prioritising value for money for passengers.
This is already the case in Wales with Transport for Wales with the introduction of Pay As You Go ticketing. Over 150,000 rail customers have already benefited in just three months since it was fully launched at all 95 stations in the South Wales Metro Area. Transport for Wales are confident that passengers will increasingly use this new technology which offers a significant saving compared to the regulated Anytime Single or Return fares and 7-day season tickets. Alongside this Transport for Wales are also offering airline style demand responsive Advance tickets. These are now available up to five minutes before departure and offer the best value for longer rail journeys across Wales and Borders.