Rail fares rise despite timetable chaos

It’s been an unhappy new year for long-suffering rail passengers, with average ticket prices in England and Wales shooting up by 3.1%, slightly less in Scotland, and punctuality at its lowest for 13 years. There were protests outside some stations and one campaign group described it as a “kick in the wallet”. But are ministers taking their eye off pressing issues like this, as Brexit sucks the air out of all other political issues?