Index showing average change in price of rail fares 2004 - 2013

Late last month, David Milward, transport editor of the +The Telegraph, published an article on fare rises based on ORR Statistics: Cost of rail travel rapidly outstripping inflation, official figures show

I was intrigued by his article as I couldn't find the official figures to which he referred. Fortunately, Juliet Hyatt of the Office Of Rail Regulation has come to my rescue. She writes:

"Your enquiry was passed to our statistics team who have advised that the 23.1% increase in real terms quoted is taken from the "Index showing average change in price of rail fares 2004-2013", the latest version of which was published last Thursday (1st August 2013). The 23.1% refers to the real terms change in average past 2013 compared to 2004, for "Anytime" tickets for all operators.

The report we publish includes the change for other ticket types (including other walk-up fares such as off-peak) for each of the three sectors (long distance, Regional, and London and South East) plus all operators combined."

From this table, the actual % fare increases in real terms by the Groups to which the three Birmingham-London train operating companies fall is as follows:

+Chiltern Railways (London & SE)

Advance .... -3.8
Anytime .... 15.9
Off Peak ... 18.4
Season .... 12.9
Super Off-Peak ... 9.7
Other ... -0.6
All Tickets ....15
Revenue per journey ... -2.5

+Virgin Trains (Long Distance)

Advance .... 21.4
Anytime .... 31.5
Off Peak ... 14
Season .... 17.9
Super Off-Peak ... 14.6
Other ... 22.3
All Tickets ....22
Revenue per journey ... -7.7

+London Midland

Advance .... 17.6
Anytime .... 17
Off Peak ... 13.9
Season .... 10.4
Super Off-Peak ... 21
Other ... 11.3
All Tickets ....14.7
Revenue per journey ... 8.1