Labour promises to cut rail fares by a third if it wins the General Election

The Labour Party said this would amount to the “biggest-ever” cuts in fares for passengers for a rail system that has the highest prices in Europe for train tickets purchased on the day.

The party estimates the policy would save the average commuter more than £1K a year and comes after Britain’s train companies confirmed over the weekend that they will hike prices by an average of 2.7 per cent next year.

Under leader Jeremy Corbyn, Labour has promised to renationalise the railways and rebuild a “fragmented” system, reshaping it into a nationally integrated public service.

Labour also said that it would undertake a full rolling programme of electrification across the country and extend the HS2 route to Scotland. Also under the party’s plans, children aged up to 16 would receive free rail travel, while part-time workers would be guaranteed “fair” fares.

Labour has also pledged to deliver a simple, London-style ticketing system across the nation, with “islands” within which zonal rail fares will apply across all modes of public transport. There would be a daily price cap put in place, so that travellers can pay as they go using bank cards or mobile phones.

Labour estimates that the policy will cost £1.5bn per year and the funding would come from existing Department for Transport budgets, drawn from Vehicle Excise Duty.

Corbyn said: “Travelling by train is my favourite way of getting around the country, but for too long a fragmented and privatised rail system has ripped off passengers. Taking back control of our railways is the only way to bring down fares and create a railway network that is fit for the future.

“Labour will bring about real change on the railways because we are on the side of passengers.”

Shadow transport secretary Andy McDonald added: “Privatisation has created one of the most complex, exploitative and expensive ticketing systems in the world. Labour will scrap the bewildering and outdated fares and ticketing system that discriminates against part-time workers, discourages rail travel and excludes the young and low paid.

“Labour will deliver a railway in public ownership for the many, not the few.”

The Conservative Party has made its own railway pledges under its manifesto, promising to introduce apay-as-you-go train ticketing systemacross South East England and reconsider HS2 based on the findings of the recently announced review (although this has yet to present any report).

Responding to Labour's announcement, Conservative transport secretary Grant Shapps said: “This is another desperate attempt from Labour to distract from their inability and unwillingness to be straight with people on where they stand on Brexit and the fact they would raise taxes on low and middle-income workers across the country.

“The Conservatives will improve punctuality by integrating parts of the rail network, make ticketing and pricing more transparent and will invest £500m in reopening branch lines closed under Labour".

铁路交付集团发言人commenting on behalf of train operators, said: “Rail companies have been calling for some time for changes in regulation to enable an easier to use, better value range of fares, but it’s a red herring to suggest that reforming fares needs a change of ownership.

“Overall, fare levels will always be a matter for elected politicians in deciding the balance of farepayer and taxpayer funding.”

Mick Cash, general secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union said: “A third off fares in the new year and making travel free for under 16s will not only save passengers thousands of pounds, it will transform travel for the future, increasing rail passenger numbers and rail jobs to help fight the climate crisis.”

Other parties have also included railway-related moves in their manifesto. The Brexit Party has promised to scrap HS2, which it says will raise £200bn when combined with EU withdrawal and halving the foreign aid budget.

The Green Party has said that it wants a “new golden age of train” by opening rail connections to remove bottlenecks; increasing rail freight capacity; enhancing capacity in the South West, the Midlands and the North, and connect the unconnected urban areas. Like the Brexit Party, it too has promised to cancel HS2 and use the money saved to fund rail investments, including electrified lines from Liverpool and Manchester to Sheffield, Hull and the Tees Valley.