Lib Dems call for rail fare freeze as local commuters face up to £110 price hike next year.

The cost of an annual season ticket for commuters in the Cheadle Constituency could rise by up to £110 next year, the highest amount in over a decade, analysis by the Liberal Democrats has revealed.

It comes after today’s figures show that inflation (RPI) in July reached 9%. This is the figure normally used to increase rail fares from next March. 

The Liberal Democrats are calling on the government to freeze rail fares, after ministers have refused to say by how much rail tickets will rise by next year.

Annual season ticket prices between Cheadle Hulme and Manchester could rise by up to a staggering £110 to £1,338 a year.

The rise comes despite disrupted services over the past year due to industrial action and the Government’s plans to close ticket offices at stations around the country. 

The Liberal Democrats are calling for rail fares to be frozen for five years. The party is also calling for a rethink over planned ticket office closures and for the Government to finally resolve the strike action disrupting services. 

Tom Morrison, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Cheadle, said “The Lib Dems are fighting for a fair deal for 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 the fare hikes immediately to help families struggling under the cost-of-living crisis the Conservatives created.

“We should be making clean forms of public transport cheaper, yet this Conservative Government is determined to make rail more expensive than ever before.”