TSSA calls for rail public ownership as inflation soars

TSSA has today (Wednesday) called for rail companies to be brought into public ownership and slammed the current rail fares model as ‘outdated and impractical’, following the announcement of a 12.3 per cent RPI rate for July.

Figures released this morning show the Retail Price Index (RPI) has risen to 12.3% in July – up from 11.8% the previous month and is the highest since January 1982. The July RPI rate has historically been used as a benchmark by the Department for Transport (DfT) to determine fare increases the following year, generally setting these at RPI + 1 per cent.

The DfT has not announced what next year’s fares increase will be yet, but has said that it will be below the current rate of inflation.

TSSA General Secretary, Manuel Cortes said: “The current fares model is outdated and impractical. We need to bring our railways into public ownership and have a complete overhaul of ticketing to make rail travel cheaper and more attractive to passengers to get people onto our railways.

“Rather than maximising profits for private rail firms, we need services and passengers to be put first. Any increase to fares even close to the RPI rate announced for July will price passengers off the rails and into their cars.

“If this Government is serious about protecting jobs and making any meaningful steps towards tackling the climate crisis, they must bring our railways into public ownership where they can be run for public good not private profit.

“The Tory cost-of-living crisis is hurting everyone. We need solutions which puts people and our climate front and centre.”