The cost of an annual season ticket for Harrogate & Knaresborough commuters could rise by up to £173.52 next year, the highest amount in over a decade.
Harrogate rail commuters set for biggest price hike in last decade The cost of an annual season ticket for Harrogate and Knaresborough commuters could rise by up to £173.52 next year - the biggest hike in over a decade. It comes after yesterday's figures show that Retail Prices Index (RPI) inflation in July reached 9%. This is the figure normally used to increase rail fares from next March. And the Liberal Democrats are calling on the government to freeze rail fares after ministers refused to say by how much rail tickets will rise by next year. Annual season ticket prices between Harrogate and Leeds is expected to rise from £1,928 to £2,101. The rise comes despite disrupted services over the past year due to industrial action and frequent cancellation of trains across the region, including the Government taking over the failing Transpennine Express. The Liberal Democrats are calling for rail fares to be frozen for five years. The party is also calling for improved reliability in the current train services, and the electrification of the line between Leeds and Harrogate. Tom Gordon, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Harrogate & Knaresborough, said:
“Liberal Democrats are fighting for a fair deal for local commuters and families who will be left forking out even more for train journeys in the middle of a cost of living crisis. “Ministers cannot keep turning a blind eye to these problems, especially given people are paying more for less on our rail network with more delays, cancellations and their failure to deal with the strikes. “If this Government had even a shred of decency they would freeze rail fares immediately to help families struggling under the cost of living crisis the Conservatives created."Mr Gordon added:
“We know that our local line is close to capacity, in dire need of investment, and the paying more for the status quo simply isn’t good enough. “We should be making clean forms of transport cheaper, yet this Conservative Government is determined to make rail more expensive than ever before.”Read more local stories from Your Harrogate here.
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