Regulated fares on National Rail are rising by approximately 2.6 per cent in England today, but critics are condemning the rise. The increase is lower in Scotland, where peak time journeys are rising by 1.6 per cent and others by 0.6 per cent. The increases have come two months later than usual, and come alongside reports that all operators controlled by the Department for Transport in England have been instructed to introduce ‘flexible’ part time season tickets by June, to encourage commuters to return to rail. The DfT, which has committed £10 billion to supporting the passenger railway since the pandemic began almost a year ago, says today’s rise is the lowest rise in four years, in spite of ‘unprecedented support for the rail industry’.