Amish Patel, transport leader at PwC, comments on the freeze on rail fares
“Freezing rail fares provides immediate, visible support to passengers at a time when affordability remains a barrier to public transport use. From a network perspective, however, fare revenue is still a key pillar of rail’s funding model. To make this sustainable, and to give Great British Railways the best possible start, the sector will need clarity on how the treasury intends to bridge the funding gap while also modernising infrastructure, improving punctuality and accelerating digital transformation. The opportunity now is to treat this as a catalyst for wider reform rather than a standalone intervention.”
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