Trains price hike sparks calls for service shake up
RAIL commuters insist services must “significantly improve” to justify a 3.2% price hike.
The increase means long-distance passengers will see the annual cost of getting to work increase by more than £150 next year.
John Hall, 53, said the hike was too much and added: “The services need to improve and then people won’t mind paying the extra, I think, personally I wouldn’t mind taking the train if it was a better service.”
Mr Hall, of South Shields, rarely uses the train now due to delays and overcrowding.
He said: “There have been occasions when I’ve been unable to get seats, it’s absolutely ridiculous.”
The rise will impact regulated fares, including season tickets on most commuter routes, some off-peak return tickets on long-distance journeys and anytime tickets around major cities.
Unregulated fares, such as advanced tickets, off-peak leisure tickets and first-class tickets, are set by train companies, not the Government.
Kerry Kerr, from Northumberland, said services have been “hitty-missy”.
“I don’t use it regularly enough to be affected by the changes,” she said.
“But if you are commuting on a daily basis, I think the service needs significantly improved if you are going to justify such an increase in fares.
“It’s just no equivalent to inflation and minimum wage. It’s becoming increasingly difficult for people to commute and justify working, especially for families and single parents.”
Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union criticised the increase, saying passengers are paying “through the nose” for overcrowded services.
Campaigners argue it is unfair on passengers to use the RPI figure instead of the lower Consumer Price Index measure of inflation.
RMT general secretary, Mick Cash, said: “Even if fares were pegged at the more modest CPI, these latest increases would still massively outstrip wages leaving the British passenger to pay through the nose to travel on rammed out and unreliable services.
“Meanwhile the rail companies, the majority of whom are foreign state owned, are using the British transport system as a cash cow to hold down their own domestic fares.”
Luke Raikes, senior research fellow at IPPR North think-tank, said: “The Transport Secretary expects Northerners to dig deeper into their own pockets for the railways, but still refuses to do so himself by investing in the North’s infrastructure.
“Our independent analysis of government spending by region shows that more than twice as much per head in London as in the North over the last decade; planned investment is 2.6 times more per head in the capital.
“This is one of the reasons behind the ongoing rail chaos in the North. It is causing daily problems for commuters and in doing so is a drag on the economy of the region and the country.
“If the Transport Secretary expects northerners to pay more, he must follow through and invest in northern infrastructure as promised.”