Inflation Rise Leaves Rail Passengers Facing Crippling 5.8% Fares Hike

Train passengers are facing a hike in fares by as much as 5.8% next year as new inflation figures revealed a high-than-expected rise in prices. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) announced on Wednesday that the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) had risen from 3.6% in June to 3.8% in July. Economists had expected a 3.7% rise in the CPI for last month.Meanwhile the Retail Prices Index (RPI) measure of inflation - which has traditionally been used by the Government when calculating annual rises in regulated train fares - was revealed to have shot up from 4.4% in June to 4.8% in July. That spells bad news for rail users now facing a crippling rise in fares next year.