Rail fare increase of 4.9% in England expected to exceed inflation

The government has capped fares but March ticket prices are expected to mean a real-terms increase

Rail fares in England will rise by 4.9% in March after the government capped the planned increase, although the cost of tickets is still expected to rise faster than inflation.

The government on Friday said it had decided to cap the fare increase for regulated fares, rather than choosing to increase the numbers in line with July’s retail prices index (RPI), as it has done in previous years.