South West Wiltshire commuters hit with hike in rail fares  

• Liberal Democrats call for fare freeze as cost of living crisis worsens
• Annual season ticket for Trowbridge to Bath commuters forecasted to reach £1720 for the first time
• For commuters travelling to London, London travelcards for tube and bus services set to be scrapped for passengers

The cost of an annual season ticket for South West Wiltshire commuters will rise by the most in a decade today despite the cost of living crisis worsening.

According to the House of Commons Library data on constituencies around 3% of the population in South West Wiltshire regularly use the train for work. https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/constituency-data-travel-to-work/

An annual season ticket between Trowbridge and Bath Spa has risen to £1720, costing commuters £62.97 more a year, and for those travelling further from Trowbridge to Bristol Temple Meads, an annual season ticket would cost them £2416, an increase of £88.45 a year.

By 2026, the annual season ticket price for Trowbridge to Bath Spa commuters is forecasted to rise to £1898 if the Government does not freeze rail fares. The rise comes despite reduced services compared to pre-pandemic timetables.

In the south, the annual season ticket prices between Tisbury and London Waterloo for someone working 3 days a week in London will rise to staggering £6784 per year, an extra £248.35 a year a commuter working full time in London this would equate to £7796 per annum.

Additionally daily travelcards for those travelling on national rail services to London are also set to be scrapped, meaning passengers will pay more for tube and bus services in the capital.

The Liberal Democrats are calling for rail fares to be frozen for five years and for pre-pandemic timetables to be restored.

Ellen Nicholson, Liberal Democrat spokesperson for South West Wiltshire, said:

"It is outrageous to hike rail fares in the middle of a cost of living crisis. This Conservative Government is completely out of touch.

"Tax rises are coming, energy bills are skyrocketing and now rail fares are set to rise for people in South West Wiltshire.

"I am calling for a fair deal for all people across Wiltshire with a fare freeze and the Government to cancel all tax hikes. The cost of living crisis is getting worse by the week."

"We should be making green forms of transport cheaper, yet this Conservative Government is determined to make rail more expensive than ever before."