Train fares in Wales to be frozen for a year

Rail fares will be frozen for the next 12 months on Transport for Wales services from St David's Day, in a decision agreed by the Welsh government.

First Minister Eluned Morgan said keeping fares at the current level would provide "certainty to passengers at a time when many are struggling with the cost of living".

While some rail passengers said they welcomed decision, Plaid Cymru said "decades of underfunding of rail funding" needed undoing.

Reform said Labour had failed while in power in Cardiff Bay despite having a "generation to establish a functioning transport network".

The move comes after the UK government announced rail fares in England would be frozen for the first time in 30 years.

Rail passengers in Bangor, Gwynedd, on Saturday morning welcomed the decision.

"At least it's not going up," said Edward Eggers.

"I've got a railcard, as long as it stays at this price, I'm decently happy with it.

"I would always advocate for it being lower but I think the transport system just needs the money, so I'll pay what I need to."

Joshua Cooper said rail fares could be "quite expensive" with a return ticket between Cardiff and London costing in excess of £100 on Saturday.

"When you compare car and train it doesn't look worth it to go by train," he said.

"Many friends and family members talk about it being so expensive at the moment."

The fare freeze from 1 March will apply to advance single tickets, return tickets and the "tap in, tap out pay-as-you-go" service, the Welsh government said.

The system is currently used in south Wales and will be extended to other parts of the network in the near future.

"More people are choosing to travel by train in Wales, services are growing faster and they are more reliable," Morgan said, adding that the fare freeze would make train travel "more attractive and cheaper".

Plaid Cymru said: "To deliver real, tangible change in our rail network - we must begin the process of undoing decades of underfunding of rail funding by Westminster government and the devolution of rail infrastructure - something Labour have failed to demand."

Reform UK Wales said Labour had had a "generation to establish a functioning transport network in Wales" but had "failed to do that and now they're rightly being punished".

The Conservative Party, Liberal Democrats and Green Party have been asked to comment.