James Naish, Member of Parliament for Rushcliffe, has welcomed the government’s freeze on rail fares – the first in 30 years.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced the freeze ahead of the Budget this week, promising to save commuters hundreds of pounds on some of the busiest routes in the country, after decades of spiralling fares.
Rail fare increases are typically linked to the Retail Prices Index (RPI) from the previous July and have historically gone up by the RPI figure plus or minus 1%. The move announced over the weekend will mean season tickets are frozen, resulting in a notional saving of:
• £96 per year, travelling from Nottingham to Newark
• £112 per year, travelling from Nottingham to Derby
• £180 per year, travelling from Nottingham to Lincoln
• £732 per year, travelling from Nottingham to London
A typical commuter travelling to work three days a week using flexi-season tickets will
notionally save:
• £62 per year, travelling from Nottingham to Newark
• £67.50 per year, travelling from Nottingham to Derby
• £114 per year, travelling from Nottingham to Lincoln
The announcement follows East Midlands Railway’s (EMR) confirmation of a revised
regional timetable being introduced from December 2025, alongside the introduction of the brand-new Aurora fleet on the Midland Main Line.
Both developments are expected to significantly benefit residents across Rushcliffe and regular users of EMR’s service.
James Naish MP said: “This historic freeze will give much-needed breathing space for
commuters and families across Rushcliffe. Lots of people tell me that they’d like to take the train more often, but constant fare increases have become prohibitive. This announcement shows how seriously the government views relentless fare hikes.”
