Costs for Commuters 2025-12-09
2025-12-09
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Partial Answer
▸
Context
The question arises from concerns about the financial burden of rail fares on commuters and the impact of infrastructure regeneration projects such as Stevenage station gateway.
I thank the Chancellor and the Transport Secretary for freezing rail fares next month, which will help to ease commuting costs, especially for my constituents who use Stevenage and Knebworth stations. However, affordability alone is only part of the railway jigsaw; regeneration schemes like Stevenage station gateway, supported by the Government’s towns fund, are part of a wider £1 billion regeneration programme for our town and provide a real opportunity to modernise transport hubs and improve connectivity, helping commuters get to work more easily. Will my right hon. Friend ensure that infrastructure investment for projects like the station gateway are prioritised, so that commuters can get to work—
Transport costs represent 14% of household spending, so the Government took decisive action in the Budget to freeze all regulated rail fares in England for one year from March 2026—the first time that has happened in 30 years. The Government’s action is saving commuters in Stevenage £285 a year on the cost of a five-day season ticket. With the uplift of £120 billion in capital spending, the Government have also committed to the sorts of projects that my hon. Friend mentions, particularly around transport hubs. I will arrange for my hon. Friend to have a meeting with the relevant Transport Minister.
▸
Assessment & feedback
The Chancellor did not explicitly commit to prioritising infrastructure investment for specific regeneration schemes like Stevenage station gateway but acknowledged wider government commitments and offered a meeting with a minister.
Response accuracy