Local Lib Dem MP slams rail fare “slap in the face” and calls for rail fares to be frozen as prices rise

Lewes MP James MacCleary has urged for rail fares to be frozen after they rose by 4.6% this weekend.

The cost of a season ticket has risen to £6164 for Lewes to London and £6236 for Polegate or Seaford to London.

It follows ticket price rises of 3.8% in 2022, 5.9% in 2023, and 4.9% in 2024.

James MacCleary has tabled an Early Day Motion in Parliament calling for a freeze on rail fares, highlighting the impact of rising costs on Sussex commuters and rail users. He warned that continually increasing ticket prices not only hits people’s wallets during a cost-of-living crisis but also discourages much-needed shifts to public transport — vital for reducing carbon emissions and tackling the climate emergency.

Lib Dem MP James MacCleary said that people in his constituency should not be paying more for a service that is “simply not working” following years of Conservative Party neglect and mismanagement. He said: “Commuters in Sussex are being hit hard by these relentless fare hikes while the service they rely on continues to go from bad to worse. People are paying thousands of pounds for a rail network plagued by delays, cancellations, and overcrowding — it’s completely unacceptable. The price rise is a slap in the face.

“That’s why I’m taking action in Parliament calling on the Government to freeze rail fares and take real action to fix this broken system. Enough is enough — we can’t keep asking passengers to pay more when they’re getting less and less in return.

“We should be encouraging people to use public transport, not pricing them off it. Investing in better, more reliable rail services while keeping fares affordable is crucial — not just to ease the cost of living, but also to meet our environmental commitments. The Government must step up and put passengers first.”

• Cost of a season ticket can be found here. Season ticket price used was for an adult without a rail card, on a standard ticket for 5+ days a week valid over one year.
• Information on previous years season ticket price rises can be found here.
• Previous Liberal Democrat research on the number of delay minutes due to signal failures is reported here.
• Link to Early Day Motion: https://edm.parliament.uk/early-day-motion/63176/increases-in-rail-fares