Rail passengers in southern England are subsidising those in the Midlands, North, Scotland and Wales by more than £1billion a year, figures show.

Commuters on trains into London are paying up to £1 extra a day for every 16km (ten miles) they travel – so that services can run in less populous areas.

They are contributing to the Treasury through the price of their train tickets while those in the regions receive subsidies worth more than £650million.


Despite enduring cramped conditions and often being forced to travel without a seat, southern commuters are paying a larger proportion of their income on travel.



Labour MP John Denham, who uncovered the figures, said it was time for those in the south to stop subsidising the travel of passengers outside the capital.

‘London commuters can be forgiven for feeling they are paying over the odds to subsidise railways compared with passengers in other parts of Britain,’ said the MP for Southampton Itchen.

A season ticket to London Waterloo from Southampton Central costs just over £5,000 per year. Prices will rise in January by RPI inflation, which is currently 3.2 per cent.

On top of the subsidies received by train operating companies, northern and Scottish commuters also receive the biggest grant to track operators Network Rail.

The government defended the approach of using popular routes to subsidise unpopular ones.

A Department for Transport spokesman said: ‘Those franchises that can generate more money are expected to pay back more into the public purse.’