Train passengers hit out at delays and cancellations on first day of ticket price increase

Rail passengers have hit out at the “irony” of mass train cancellations and delays on the same day rail fares in England and Wales rose by nearly five per cent.

CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Northern, and TransPennine Express customers were left stranded today as major disruption in the Sheffield area sparked delays and cancellations until the end of the day.

There was also severe disruption reported between Manchester and Liverpool, Rock Ferry and Chester and Wimbledon.

Frustrated passengers took to social media to address the chaos. One customer said: Rail fares going up on the same day as all trains in and out of Wimbledon being cancelled is wonderful irony.”

Another trying to get down to London from Sheffield wrote: “The rail network in this country is a joke. Over running engineering works meant @EastMidRailway 0823 to London from Sheffield cancelled.

“Had to go via #Doncaster to catch a Hull Trains at 0959 (and buy more tickets). Now cutting it fine for a 1230 kick off.”

Another man in a similar situation called the railway system a mess and said he had to share an uber to his destination with three random men.

Another person wrote: “Its amazing how train prices go up year on year and nothing improves in the services provided. Still striking, cancelled trains, shortage of staff, overtime strikes. Pathetic.”

Public transport campaigners claimed passengers are being “punished” and will be “angry” at Sunday’s price hikes given the current cost of living crisis.

The increase in fares could add £190 to an annual season ticket from Woking to London, taking the cost from £3,880 to £4,070.

It could also see flexi season tickets for travel between Liverpool and Manchester on two days per week over a year rising by £92.60 from £1,890 to £1,982.60.

Chris Page, who chairs pressure group Railfuture, said: “Why are rail passengers being punished year after year with inflation-busting fare rises?

“No matter that there’s a cost of living crisis, no matter that we’re facing a climate emergency, the government seems more determined than ever to price us off the railway and on to the roads.”

Labour’s shadow transport secretary Louise Haigh said: “This fare rise will be tough for passengers to stomach given the shocking state of rail services up and down the country.

“Since coming to power in 2010 the Tories have hiked fares by almost twice as much as wages, and now passengers are being asked to pay more for less.”

It comes as Rail cancellations are currently among the highest levels for 10 years.

In the year leading up to 3 February, figures from the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) show that the equivalent of 3.9 per cent of services in England and Wales were cancelled.

This only narrowly fails to beat the worst performance of 4.1 per cent in records which date back to 2014.