‘KICK IN THE TEETH’ AS RAIL FARES SET TO RISE AGAIN:
A PASSENGER group has branded hikes to train prices in the new year as “another kick in the teeth”.
It was announced yesterday that fares will increase by an average of 3.1% from January 2.
First Great Western said there will be a rise of between 2.9% for unregulated fares and 3.2% for regulated fares. The Government regulates half of all rail fares and these mainly include most standard and saver return fares, as well as weekly season tickets.
It means a £78.80 return from Cardiff Central to London Paddington will cost £81.32 in 2019.
Transport for Wales will see a 2.98% increase on regulated fares. That means a £4 day return will now cost about £4.12. Unregulated fares are under review.
Many long-distance commuters will see the annual cost of getting to work increase by more than £100.
The news has not gone down well with rail passengers in Wales who are facing weeks of cancellations and disruption because of the number of trains that are having to be repaired.
Transport for Wales is launching a full review into how problems across the network became so bad, so quickly this autumn.
Paul Plummer, chief executive of industry body the Rail Delivery Group (RDG), said: “Nobody wants to pay more to travel, especially those who experienced significant disruption earlier this year.
“Money from fares is underpinning the improvements to the railway that passengers want and which ultimately help boost the wider economy.
“That means more seats, extra services and better connections right across the country.”
Rail users have expressed their anger at the price rises.
Helen Jones Evans said: “Living in Gilfach Goch you have no option but to learn how to drive. Public transport is absolutely shocking here.”
Scott Edward Tanner added: “Almost £2.50 a mile these days. Cheaper to drive a one litre. They are taking advantage of people who have to use public transport.”
David Woods said: “That’s one way to ease overcrowding.”
Michael J Phillips said: “No real shock but that doesn’t make it any less disgusting! These people are a joke.”
There have been calls for prices to be frozen following chaos caused by the implementation of new timetables in May.
Fewer than half (45%) of passengers are satisfied with the value for money
of train tickets, according to a survey by watchdog Transport Focus.
The Rail, Maritime and Transport union has slammed the January fare increase as “another kick in the teeth for passengers on Britain’s rip-off railways”.
General Secretary Mick Cash said: “Whatever way Chris Grayling tries to dress this up, this latest fare hike is another kick in the teeth for passengers on Britain’s rip-off privatised railways.
“His cynical attempt to blame this rise on front-line rail staff battling in all weathers to keep services running, and facing abuse and assault when the rail operators fail, is pure political cowardice from a transport secretary who is a national joke.
“With the vast majority of our rail franchises in foreign state hands, this increase means the British people will be paying the highest fares in Europe on our rammed-out and unreliable services to subsidise passengers in Berlin, Paris and Amsterdam. That is nothing short of a disgrace.
“The only solution to Britain’s rail fare rip-off is a publicly owned railway run solely in the public interest, free from the greed of the private train companies.”
Anthony Smith, chief executive of watchdog Transport Focus, said: “Many passengers, still reeling from summer timetable chaos and frustrated by ‘autumn’ disruption, won’t believe fares are going up again.
“Until day-to-day reliability returns – with fewer significant delays and cancellations – passenger trust won’t begin to recover.
“Passengers now pour more than £10bn a year into the rail industry alongside significant government investment, so the rail industry cannot be short of funding.
“When will this translate into a more reliable railway and better value for money for passengers?
“It’s also time for a fairer, clearer fares formula based on a calculation that uses the Consumer Prices Index, rather than the discredited Retail Prices Index.”