Train fares have risen at twice the rate as wages in the UK since 2010, new research shows.

While long-suffering commuters have seen weekly earnings rise by an average of 16%, the price of a rail journey has soared 32% during the same period.

Analysis by the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) shows a new nurse or police officer commuting from Chelmsford to London, where an annual season ticket costs about £4,000, would have to pay a fifth of their salary on getting to and from work.

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The figures are published on the eve of the release of the crucial RPI inflation measure, which is used to set next year’s regulated rail fares, including season tickets and standard returns.

Mick Cash, RMT general secretary, said: “Government policy of suppressing workers’ wages while at the same time presiding over corporate welfare on our privatised railway has resulted in a toxic combination of fare rises easily outstripping wages.

“The private operators and government say the rises are necessary to fund investment but the reality is that they are pocketing the profits while passengers are paying more for less with rail engineering work being delayed or cancelled, skilled railway jobs being lost and staff cut on trains, stations and at ticket offices.”

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The fares – which make up almost half of all tickets – increased by 1.9% in January this year.

The RPI figure for July is expected to be around 3.9%, which would trigger the highest increase in fares since 2012.

TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady said: “This is grim news for commuters, who are facing another year of fare hikes.”

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A Department for Transport spokesman said it continued to monitor carefully how fares are set.
The spokesman added: “We are investing in the biggest rail modernisation programme for over a century to improve services for passengers – providing faster and better trains with more seats.

“We have always fairly balanced the cost of this investment between the taxpayer and the passenger. We are driving the industry hard to improve efficiency to ensure we maximise the value of passengers’ and taxpayers’ investment in the railways.”