‘Attention, please’: Rachel Reeves hails rail fare freeze over Liverpool Street tannoy
Commuters arriving into Liverpool Street station have been serenaded by the Chancellor’s voice today.
Rachel Reeves has taken over the key City transport artery to share the news of a freeze to rail fares – the first in 30 years.
In a message read out over the tannoy periodically throughout Monday, Reeves opens with: “Testing, testing, Attention, please.”
While this language echoes that of an emergency address, the Chancellor goes on to say: “This government is making sure passengers aren’t asked to spend a penny more on regulated fares, including season tickets and peak and off-peak returns.
“Passengers could save over £300 a year on the more expensive routes, helping make your daily commute more budget friendly.
“Thank you very much.”
Ministers say that the move will save passengers around £600m over the next year, with the freeze said to benefit more than a billion annual journeys.
Liverpool Street has repeatedly been found to be the busiest train station in the UK, according to figures from the Office of Rail and Road (ORR).
The group found that 98m “entries and exits” were made between April 2024 and March 2025, bolstered in part by the Elizabeth Line connection.
In February, Canada Corporation granted planning permission to allow Network Rail’s controversial redevelopment of the Square Mile hub, which councillors say will be a “modern temple of transport”.
Starmer: Freeze puts trains in service of passengers
Before the freeze, Brits were set to be hit by a 5.8 fares hike. In a statement on Monday, Reeves said: “Our economic plan is the right one.
“By cutting the cost of living, cutting national debt, and creating the conditions for growth and investment in all parts of the country we are building a stronger, more secure economy.”
Sir Keir Starmer said that the move “will put more money in working people’s pockets”, whilst “putting train travel back into the service of passengers, not profits”.