Train operators are planning to trim railcard discounts, with one rail travel advocacy group describing the move as “a step in the wrong direction”.
The PA news agency understands the fare reduction for cardholders will be cut from 34 per cent to 33.4 per cent, from Sept 15.
Railcards affected will include those held by people aged 16-30, passengers aged 60 and over, families travelling with children, people with a disability and military veterans.
Fares to increase
Train operators are taking advantage of an easing of system limitations to apply a smaller discount, which will mean fare increases for railcard holders. An Anytime Return from Cardiff to London will rise from £194.15 to £195.90, while one from Birmingham to Manchester will increase from £72.60 to £73.25.
A section on railcard discounts on the National Rail Enquiries website was updated in June to remove references to 34 per cent.
Most railcard advertising states only that the cards provide savings of one third off usual fares, but the 34 per cent figure is still given on some operators’ websites, including those of East Midlands Railway and Heathrow Express.
Bruce Williamson, of lobby group Railfuture, said: “Whilst this represents a very tiny increase in fares for some passengers, it’s a step in the wrong direction. As the slogan goes, every little helps, so why risk irritating passengers for a few pence?”
Call for ‘northern network railcard’
Michael Solomon Williams, of pressure group Campaign for Better Transport, called for the introduction of a northern network railcard to make the system “fairer” by giving passengers in the north of England “the same discount offered to many of their southern counterparts by regional railcards”.
A spokesperson for Railcard, the organisation which manages the discount cards on behalf of train operators, said: “The cost of a railcard hasn’t increased for over 10 years and will continue to provide customers with a third off their rail fare for just £30 a year – a cost that can be made back in just one or two journeys.”
The rail industry is striving to boost fares income, which remains lower than pre-coronavirus levels.
Office of Rail and Road figures show revenue from passengers was £10.3 billion in the year to the end of March, compared with £12.7 billion in 2019-20.