Dealing with annual rail fare increases

Proximity to London is one of our area’s many selling points. A quick route in and out of the capital for work has helped make the Stortford area a very popular one. But the start of 2018 has brought unwelcome news for Stortford’s commuters – the announcement of large rail fare hikes. Annual season ticket prices have risen £136 overnight and now cost £3940 per annum to London terminals, and £5272 if you include a TfL Travelcard for onward travel in London. This is particularly difficult to take as wages are stagnating and commuters frequently face delays, cancellations, overcrowded trains and a generally poor service.

£5k is an enormous amount to have to find out of net income and many commuters are worried about how they will continue to fund their travel to work. For families who have to fund longer childcare hours to cover commuting the financial burden is considerable and can be a deterrent to those wishing to return to work following a break to look after children. If this applies to you – why not consider looking for a local job?

The Herts and Essex area is not only a great place to live but a great place to work too. We are lucky to have some amazing companies – from multinationals to family businesses to innovative start-ups. There are many exciting and well-rewarded jobs available here if you look for them. Salaries may not completely match up to London wages but when travel costs and the cost of your time are taken into account you may even find yourself better off with a local job. Without the time and cost of travel your work/life balance may improve, giving you more time for your family and friends – and yourself. Working locally may be just the answer you need to ever-increasing rail costs!

At RecruitAbility we specialise in professional office staff. We always have a good range of jobs available – visit our website at www.recruitability.co.uk to see our full list or call the office on 01279 758855 and ask to speak to one of our recruitment consultants.