2015 Regulated fares rise capped at 2.5% RPI & 'Flex' scrapped

[whole diary]

[TaplowGreen]

I apologise if I caused any offence, however rail staff could have 0% or 10% rise and the government will still do what they want with the fares policy.  You have made your point on more than one occasion elsewhere, and I actually agree with it.  I just don't think it's relevant in this discussion.  I appreciate that's probably up to the mods though.

However, I thought this would be welcomed given the much criticism I have read about "flex" and the over-inflation rises, and not turn into another discussion about staff salaries and benefits.

No offence taken old chap, I'm sure we all have bigger fish to fry.

The point I (perhaps rather clumsily) was trying to make was that people wouldn't object so much to fare increases if they could see (tangibly) that performance was improving and the service was more reliable, and that also linking reward to performance (both on the rails and in terms of customer service) may help focus minds more on it......but anyway Amen from me! 

[Andrew1939 from West Oxon]

Last year I could buy (and did) single advance tickets from Oxford to Paddington for ^5.00 each way for most trains on a Saturday. Looking on the web now for up to the end of November, i.e. plenty of time to get the cheapest tickets, the cheapest fare I can see is ^8.90 each way, i.e. an increase of 78%.