00:00 Those turning up to train stations across England and Wales this week have been hit
00:06 by an increase to the cost of rail tickets by 4.9 percent. This rise affects regulated
00:12 train fares including season tickets on commuter journeys, flexible tickets for travel around
00:17 major cities, and some off-peak return tickets on long-distance routes. Even before the hike,
00:22 it was previously found the UK has the most expensive rail travel in Europe, although
00:27 we are one of the few European countries where reduced rates can be secured on advance tickets.
00:33 Campaign for Better Transport Campaign's manager Michael Solomon-Williams said "At
00:37 a time when we urgently need to encourage people to take the train, the public will
00:41 rightly be angry to discover that it has just become even more expensive to do so." Rail
00:47 Minister Hugh Merriman said last month the UK government had attempted to split the balance
00:51 between the UK taxpayer and the farepayer in relation to price rises, which he described
00:56 as being well below inflation.
00:58 [BLANK_AUDIO]
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