UK commuters spend 25% income on rail fares

Rail commuters in Britain are spending up to a quarter of their salaries on travelling to work, new figures have revealed.

The research, from management consultancy Hay Group, indicated a wide variation across the country with London and Birmingham residents paying the highest and those who live in Cardiff paying the lowest proportion of their salaries in commuting costs.

The study showed that low-paid workers in Birmingham and London part with 23 percent of their annual incomes on the daily commute while the poorest workers in Cardiff spend 8 percent of their salaries on long rail commutes.

Above-inflation fare rises of 5.9 percent, which were announced in December, added to the twin pressures of higher prices and stagnant wages bearing down on millions of Britons.

The fare increases put the average annual season ticket at £2,028, or 8 percent of the median UK salary of £25,176.

“As train fares continue to rise above inflation, and salary increases remain subdued, commuting costs are set to take up more of UK employees’ pay packets,” said Reward Information Consultant at Hay Group Stuart McMillan.

The Rail Maritime and Transport (RMT) union also described the finding as “shocking” and pledged to work with passenger groups to end what it called “the great transport robbery”.

“This shocking research proves that a combination of rip-off fares and the cost of living crisis is hammering those on low to average pay and should serve as a wake-up call to the politicians,” said RMT leader Bob Crow.

British rail passengers held several protests across the country earlier in August as fares outstrip wages for the 6th time in seven years.