Conservatives pledge to cap rail fares

Among today’s pledges the one that is most likely to cut through to the voting, or at the very least, the commuting public is on train fares.

It is not a completely new idea – the Conservatives have been capping the rail fares at the rate of inflation for the last few years – but it will be welcome to commuters already shelling out what the transport secretary describes as a “King’s Ransom” to get to work.

Toady the Mr Cameron will say that under the Conservatives rail fares will be frozen for the whole of the next parliament. It means season ticket prices will increase by no more than the rate of inflation and will apply to London’s buses and tubes.

It is likely to appeal to workers and families in the home counties – the Conservatives say the move will benefit a quarter of a million annual season ticket holders, and save them an average of £400 over the five years from 2015 to 2020.

However Labour say the promise is unfunded and say that the transport secretary himself said such a commitment would cost £1.8 billion.