Commuters in Wandsworth are expressing frustration as rail fares increase by 4.6 per cent this week, raising the cost of an annual season ticket from Putney to London Zones 1-6 to over £3,264. The hike follows similar increases of 3.8 per cent in 2022, 5.9 per cent in 2023, and 4.9 per cent in 2024.
Local Liberal Democrats are urging Wandsworth’s Labour MPs to advocate for a fare freeze, arguing that passengers should not pay more for services that have not improved. Liberal Democrat activist Josh Hughes stated:
“Residents in Putney, Wandsworth, and Battersea are already dealing with constant delays and packed trains with barely any standing room. Now they are being asked to pay even more for a service that simply isn’t delivering.”
South Western Rail (SWR) runs the main trains through Putney to central London and has acknowledged that many peak-time trains are at full capacity or offer only standing room. Despite these challenges, the Department for Transport (DfT) implemented the fare increase to address the financial state of the railway.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander acknowledged passenger frustrations this week, stating:
“We inherited a railway that was not fit for purpose, and I know it will take time for trust to be restored, with trains turning up on time, when and where they’re needed.”
Critics, including Silviya Barrett of Campaign for Better Transport, argue that the fare hike is a blow to passengers, especially when fuel duty for motorists remains frozen. Bruce Williamson of Railfuture also criticized the lack of a fare freeze similar to that for fuel duty, questioning when passengers will get a break.
Putney MP Fleur Anderson has actively supported fare freezes in the past, tweeting this time last year that while (Labour) London mayor Sadiq Khan had “frozen TfL fares for a 5th time” that “the Tory Government raised national rail prices by 4.9 per cent from today.” So far she has been quiet about the fare rise agreed to this year by the new Labour government.
The Liberal Democrats propose a rail fare freeze and the establishment of a new railway agency focused on commuter-first policies, aiming to hold train companies accountable and overhaul the complex fare system.
As debates over rail fare affordability and service quality continue, Wandsworth commuters hope for tangible improvements to justify the rising costs.
