As well as increasing costs to commuters, higher fares will typically see a Heathrow Express standard single ticket rise from £25 to £26.50 and Gatwick Express singles from £18.50 to £19.60. A Bedford to Luton airport single rises from £12.30 to £13.
Since the railways were privatised in 1996, train companies in England have been allowed by the government to increase fares in line with the Retail Price Index (RPI) of the previous July, at a maximum of RPI plus or minus 1%. The formula means fares have risen every year since 1996.
