Communities across Cornwall are set to save money thanks to the first rail fare freeze in 30 years.

The Labour government estimates the move will deliver £600m in savings, putting money back in passengers’ pockets and easing the cost-of-living for commuters - including an annual saving of £141 per year for those travelling between Truro and Plymouth.

Fares rose by 60 per cent between 2010 and 2024. The government claims regulated rail fares would have risen by a further 5.8 per cent without the freeze, which begins this week. Instead, passengers won’t pay a penny more on season tickets, peak returns for commuters and off-peak returns between major cities.

Jayne Kirkham, MP for Truro and Falmouth said: “I have some important and busy stations in my constituency connecting people to work, school, college and the rest of the country. This announcement shows that the Government is listening and delivering real action to address the cost-of-living.”

St Austell and Newquay MP Noah Law added: “I've always said that public transport in Cornwall should be a no-brainer - not a chore - and, by capping fares, we ensure that we get more people using the railways, including tourists in summer, keeping people off our busy roads and supporting our local hospitality industry.”

Perran Moon MP said the move would “insulate many people across Camborne, Redruth and Hayle from further squeezes to household budgets”, while Anna Gelderd, MP for South East Cornwall, said: “I know the cost of travelling around South East Cornwall has held our area back for far too long, so the action taken to freeze rail fares will be welcomed by many in our area. Rail passengers in Liskeard alone are set to save more than £52,500 this year.”

The Railways Bill will create Great British Railways (GBR), a new publicly owned company, that will run and manage tracks and trains. GBR will be accountable to passengers and taxpayers, bringing fares and ticketing into the 21st century, including a new one-stop shop website and app for passengers to check train times and buy tickets at the best prices.

The Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership works to promote the Looe Valley Line, the Atlantic Coast Line to Newquay and the two counties’ other branch lines. Manager Richard Burningham said: "The fares freeze is good news for Cornish rail passengers and will undoubtedly encourage more people still to take the train, particularly to and from Newquay with the launch of the transformed branch line service which is to be introduced this summer in the first phase of Mid Cornwall Metro."

The Rail Delivery Group is the British rail industry membership body that represents passenger and freight rail companies, Network Rail and High Speed 2. A spokesperson said: “The government’s decision to freeze fares is good news for customers. Use of the railway continues to grow year on year, helping people travel to work and connect with family, while supporting a more sustainable future. We want our railways to thrive - that's why we’re committed to working with government to ensure upcoming railway reforms deliver real benefits for customers.”