Fares up this morning - "2.6% increase" - what it means in practice with the usual rounding to nearest 10p

Headline - no big surprises noted so far ... no change in what is "peak", no new ticket types being offered that I could spot in a quick look, no ticket types gone.  Here is a selection

For 2020, Melksham to Swindon updated to 2021
Anytime day return £10.50 now £10.80
Anytime single £8.90 now £9.10
Off peak day return £7.80 (Any train after the 07:52 Monday to Friday) now £8.00
Off peak single £7.70 (Any train after the 07:52 Monday to Friday) now £7.90
7 day season ticket - £43.70 now £44.90

For 2020, Melksham to Chippenham updated to 2021
Anytime day return £4.90 now £5.00
Anytime single £4.40 now £4.50
Sorry - there are no reduced fares for off peak travel to Chippenham
7 day season ticket - £21.80 now £22.40

Fares 2020, Melksham to Bristol Temple Meads updated to 2021
Anytime single, £11.50 now £11.80
Anytime day return, £12.40 now £12.70
Off Peak day return, also £12.40 now £12.60
Off Peak single, no ticket offered - use anytime
7 day season ticket, £57.00 now £58.50

Fares 2020, Melksham to Clifton Down and stations to Severn Beach updated to 2021
Anytime single, £11.80 now £12.10
Anytime day return, £12.60 now £12.90
Off Peak day return, £10.50 now £10.70
For Clifton Down and the Severn Beach line, change also at Bristol Temple Meads

London Fares (these are via Swindon) - changes at 1st March 2021
£182.00 up to £186.80 anytime return
£76.70 up to £78.70 off peak return
£56.60 up to £59.10 super off peak return
---
£91.00 up to £93.40 anytime single
£45.30 up to £46.50 off peak single
£33.50 up to £34.40 super off peak single

Also for London (Paddington) via Swindon - prices from 1.3.2021
£297.70 - weekly season ticket
£1015.70 - monthly season ticket
£10580.00 - annual season ticket

 
The super off-peak single to London appears to have *dropped* in price?

 

My error - old price quoted was a return.   The danger of rushing things out (and the usefulness of having friends here to quickly help correct errors - thank you!). I have replaced £56.60 by £33.50 in the original post.

 
Interesting to compare the 1997 fares with today's - from the National Fares Manual



Melksham to Swindon ... day return, up from £5.80 to £10.80

Melksham to London ... any time period return up from £49.00 to £186.80
Melksham to London ...most off peak period return up from £25.00 to £59.10

 
Have you applied 25 years of inflation to those figures to see what they'd be, compared to today's prices?

 

That would be interesting. Have you?

 
no, don't have the time currently unfortunately.

 
Using Bank of England figures at https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/monetary-policy/inflation/inflation-calculator
£10.00 in 1997 was £18.61 in 2020 so £18.90 in 2021 ...


If figures had risen in line with inflation that would be:

Melksham to Swindon ... day return, up from £5.80 to £10.80 £11.00
Melksham to London ... any time period return up from £49.00 to £186.80 £92.60
Melksham to London ...most off peak period return up from £25.00 to £59.10 £47.25