MP Caroline Voaden has called for a rail fare freeze as ticket prices look set to increase again next year.

This means commuters between Totnes and London Paddington face an eye-watering increase of £1,160 per year on an annual season ticket if travelling for 5+ days.

New figures released on 20 August indicate that regulated rail fares are set to rise 5.8% in 2026-27 should the government choose to follow existing policy and increase fares in line with July’s Retail Price Index (RPI).

The Liberal Democrats are calling for rail fares to be frozen.

Commenting on the rail fare rise, Caroline Voaden, Liberal Democrat MP for South Devon said: “It’s absolutely shocking that the public is being asked to fork out even more for train tickets, when our rail fares are already way, way more expensive than in other countries.

“If we are serious about getting people out of cars and onto trains to ease congestion and make environmental gains, then we must look at rail fares.

“We also want train companies to improve the woeful Wi-Fi connectivity on the Paddington mainline and commit to providing enough capacity, even when there is work on the line.

“The Liberal Democrats are calling on the Government to do more to get people onto trains, to freeze rail fares, and give commuters in South Devon a reliable service that is genuine value for money.”

Regulated ticket fares currently increase annually to reflect operating cost, reduce reliance on taxpayer subsidies and reflect inflation. The price increase is based on a formula using the previous July’s Retail Price Index (RPI) inflation. The cost of unregulated tickets, such as First Class tickets or Advanced Tickets, are set by the train operating companies.