Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Costs for Commuters

Tuesday 28 April 2026 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Government extended the 3 national bus fare cap to March 2027
  • Regulated rail fares were frozen for the first time in 30 years
  • Proposed to expand 5p per litre rural fuel duty relief to more areas

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Beccy Cooper Lab Worthing West
Economy Transport
Context

The MP is concerned about the financial burden on commuters due to high costs.

Question

What fiscal steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help reduce costs for commuters. The MP highlighted the need for cost relief measures to support commuters facing financial strain.

Answer from James Murray

The Government are acting to ease the cost of living for commuters, including by extending the £3 national bus fare cap to March 2027. We have also frozen regulated rail fares for the first time in 30 years, which will save the average commuter travelling from Worthing to London using an annual season ticket £360 a year.

Answered
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Q2 Beccy Cooper Lab Worthing West
Transport
Context

The question arises from the freezing of rail fares, which aims to ease the cost of living for commuters. Southern rail, a key operator in the area, has been rated as providing the worst value for money in a passenger survey.

Question

I thank my right hon. Friend for freezing rail fares, which will indeed help to ease the cost of living for many commuters, such as my constituents in Worthing West, many of whom have jobs here in London or in Brighton. Southern has been rated the worst value for money rail operator in a national passenger survey. As we move to nationalisation of our service and finally see the back of Southern rail next month, will the Minister ensure that investment is available for key issues such as reducing overcrowding and improving the reliability and punctuality of our vital south coast services?

Answer from James Murray

My hon. Friend is right to make it clear that improving services for passengers is our absolute priority as rail operations come into public ownership. When Southern rail is brought into public ownership, it will be expected to focus relentlessly on improving passenger experience, reliability and punctuality, and it will be held to account for doing so.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific ask about investment availability was not directly addressed with concrete commitments or figures.

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Q3 Alicia Kearns Con Rutland and Stamford
Economy Energy

Question

In rural areas like Rutland and Stamford, we are reliant on our cars, so fuel costs are hitting us hard. I have a simple ask that the Chancellor could deliver on now: will she expand the 5p per litre rural fuel duty relief to more areas as soon as possible, particularly Leicestershire, Rutland and Lincolnshire, where it is desperately needed?

Answer from James Murray

As my hon. Friend the Exchequer Secretary has already set out many times today on fuel duty, we inherited plans from the previous Government that would have seen fuel costs go up for people across the country. We have extended the 5p cut on fuel duty and extended the freeze, which is an important way of helping people with the cost of living right now.

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