The beginning of a New Year is a hopeful time where we can all look ahead and set our ambitions for the year to come. I hope that 2026 is a positive year for readers, the people of our town, and for our country as a whole.
Reading had an exciting start to the New Year, when the Prime Minister chose to make his first official visit of the year to our town last week, surprising commuters at Reading Station who were returning to work early on a Monday morning. Keir Starmer spoke to people at the station about the Government’s announcement to freeze rail fares for the first time in 30 years.
This means that for a whole year passengers won’t pay a penny more on season tickets, day singles and returns, off-peak returns between major cities, and many flexible fares around big towns and cities. This step will save commuters hundreds of pounds on some of the busiest routes in the country, after decades of spiralling fares under the Conservatives.
Labour understands the cost pressures working people are facing at the moment, and this historic freeze will give much-needed support for families across Reading. Currently, an annual season ticket from Reading to London costs £5,856. By freezing rail fares for a year, Reading’s commuters will avoid an increase of £340 – money that can go straight back into their pockets.
This is part of the Government’s wider plans to rebuild Great British Railways. The Railways Bill will create Great British Railways (GBR), a new publicly owned company, that will run and manage the tracks and trains used every day – ending years of fragmentation, driving up standards for passengers, and making journey easier and better value for money.
After arriving at the station the Prime Minister visited Emmer Green Community Centre, where he spoke to local residents about what the Government is doing to stand up for our community on the issues that really matter: the cost of living, getting bills down, investing in our NHS and local public services, and lifting kids out of poverty.
It was an honour to welcome the Prime Minister to our town alongside Liz Terry, Leader of the Council, and my colleagues Yuan Yang MP and Liv Bailey MP. We were able to talk to local residents about what the Government is doing to support our community on important issues, to listen to their experiences, and to learn more about the challenges that they are currently facing.
I know that there is more that needs to be done to turn Britain’s fortunes around, but I firmly believe that the country is getting back on track and 2026 will be the year that Britain turns a corner.
As your MP, I am going to be working with the Prime Minister and our Labour Government to make sure we get Britain back on track and make sure you feel the change we’re bringing.
By MP Matt Rodda
