Regulated


train
fares
on
Transport
for
Wales
will
rise
by
an
average
of
4.6
per
cent
on
2
March,
but
some
fares
will
increase
by
as
much
as
6
per
cent.

The
average
increase
will
be
the
same
as
in
England,
but
transport
secretary
Ken
Skates
has
blamed
the
continued
existence
of
regulated
fares
on
privatisation.

Transport
for
Wales
will
be
applying
different
increases
to
each
category
of
regulated
fare.
Anytime
Day
Return
fares
and
Off
Peak
Return
fares
will
both
increase
by
6
per
cent
but
Seven-Day
Season
tickets
will
increase
by
3.5
per
cent
and
Anytime
Day
Singles
by
3
per
cent.

Mr
Skates
pointed
out
that
many
passengers
are
using
Pay-As-You-Go,
and
so
regulated
fares
do
not
apply
to
their
journeys.

He
explained:
‘We
understand
that
any
increase
in
fares
is
unwelcome
for
passengers,
but
we
have
tried
to
keep
the
increase
as
low
as
possible.
It
is
also
important
to
recognise
that
the
increasing
majority
of
passengers
no
longer
use
these
regulated
products.

‘They
are
a
vestige
of
the
privatised
railway,
established
to
ensure
that
private
operators
could
not
drive
huge
increases
in
fares
to
maximise
their
profits
at
the
expense
of
passengers
outside
the
control
of
Governments.
It
is
my
hope
that
with
the
progress
of
rail
reform,
the
return
of
railway
services
into
the
public
sector
that
this
will
see
the
end
of
the
need
for
regulated
rail
fares
with
public
sector
operators
prioritising
value
for
money
for
passengers.

‘This
is
already
the
case
in
Wales
with
Transport
for
Wales
with
the
introduction
of
Pay
As
You
Go
ticketing. 
Alongside
this
Transport
for
Wales
are
also
offering
airline
style
demand
responsive
Advance
tickets.
These
are
now
available
up
to
five
minutes
before
departure
and
offer
the
best
value
for
longer
rail
journeys.’