Open access operators for rail services
A Westminster Hall debate on 'Open access operators for rail services' is scheduled for Thursday 6 February 2025, from 1.30pm to 3.00pm. The debate will be led by Martin Vickers MP.

Rail fares are greater now, in real terms, than they were near the end of the 20th Century. In January 2018 fares across all operators were 20% higher in real terms than they were in January 1995; the average annual real increase has been 0.8%. Fares have increased fastest amongst long distance operators. On 30 November 2018 the rail industry, under the auspices of the Rail Delivery Group (RDG), announced that the average fares increase for 2019 would be 3.1%.
Railways: fares statistics (745 KB , PDF)
Around 45% of fares on National Rail are subject to regulation (by the Secretary of State in England, Welsh Minister in Wales and Scottish Ministers in Scotland); the remainder are unregulated.
Regulated fares tend to be on commuter routes, where commuters have few practical alternatives to rail. Regulated fares are set by a formula based on the RPI figure for the previous July, and for many years with a degree of flexibility (called the ‘fares basket’ or ‘flex’).
Unregulated fares generally cover journeys where passengers have realistic alternatives to travelling by train and the market for transport is open to competition.
In January 2018 fares across all operators were 20% higher in real terms than they were in January 1995; the average annual real increase has been 0.8%. Fares have increased fastest amongst long distance operators.
On 30 November 2018 the rail industry, under the auspices of the Rail Delivery Group (RDG), announced that the average fares increase for 2019 would be 3.1%. This overall figure masks differences between different routes and types of ticket.
The maximum increase for regulated fares in 2019 was 3.2%, based on the July 2018 Retail Price Index (RPI).
Passenger revenues have increased significantly since privatisation. In the years running up to privatisation, British Rail passenger revenues remained at just above £3.4 billion per year (2017-18 prices). Since privatisation, the number of rail passengers has increased substantially resulting in revenue increasing, in real terms, by close to 185% between 1994-95 and 2017-18.
Railways: fares statistics (745 KB , PDF)
A Westminster Hall debate on 'Open access operators for rail services' is scheduled for Thursday 6 February 2025, from 1.30pm to 3.00pm. The debate will be led by Martin Vickers MP.
The government is bringing most passenger train operators under public ownership. Nationalisation will start in 2025 and is expected to finish in 2027.
A Westminster Hall debate on railway services in the South West will be held on Tuesday 14 January 2025 at 9:30am. The subject for this debate was determined by the Backbench Business Committee and the debate will be opened by Martin Wrigley MP (Liberal Democrat, Newton Abbot).