162% rail fares hike for passengers in the north hits today

Northern Rail train passengers in Greater Manchester are being hit with a 162% fares rise today. Changes to the validity of off-peak tickets mean customers will be forced to buy anytime tickets at a much higher price.

The Department of Transport asked Northern Rail to look at options that could see government subsidy for the franchise reduced, and this fares hike was the change agreed.

The National Policy Forum have committed Labour to reviewing the franchise process should they win next year’s election. Miliband has already announced a cap on fare rises, and says that Labour would “drive through the biggest reforms of the railways since privatisation”. Even Tory ministers are now trying to convince George Osborne that a cap on fares is the way forward.

Shadow Transport Secretary Mary Creagh has pointed out that these new fares hikes will hit Osborne’s own constituents – they will see their tickets to Manchester rise by an extra 52%.