Expect the sound of grinding teeth
PASSENGERS will grit their teeth – yet again – today when train fares increase and the cost of going to work gets yet more expensive.
The depth of discontent should not be underestimated and politicians should not ignore the anger of citizens who feel ripped off and believe vital infrastructure is mismanaged.
The need for investment in our rail network is clear. Too many workers arrive at their destinations stressed after being squeezed tight in overcrowded carriages or late having had their service delayed.
Commuters across the UK who pay huge sums for tickets each year doubt if their cash is well-spent if travel continues to be a miserable experience. There is no shortage of explanations about what is wrong with the status quo.
The Rail, Maritime and Transport union wants the full return of public ownership. Passenger groups push for the rail fare formula to be based on CPI and not RPI inflation.
The Taxpayers’ Alliance argues that “disruption” caused by unions is part of the problem and object to the billions being invested into HS2. Meanwhile, the Campaign for Better Transport accuses the Government of deciding to “snub rail passengers” by raising fares while fuel duty is frozen for the seventh consecutive year.
You can add to this indignation disappointment about the cancellation of the electrification of the Great Western line from Cardiff to Swansea and deep sighs of frustration about journey times in north Wales.
The sense of exasperation might be a little less if commuters had an easy alternative to trains but driving to work is not an option for many of us. The scrapping of the Severn Crossing tolls is welcome but an increase in traffic could lead to even worse congestion around Newport – thus forcing yet more people onto trains.
This matters because transport systems that are not fit for purpose (a) create a sense of chronic dysfunction at the heart of our society and (b) let down the poorest in our society.
People in disadvantaged communities want to work and benefits reforms are designed to encourage individuals who may not have held a job for many years to participate in the economy. In many cases, this will involve travelling considerable distances. Wales’ position at the bottom of the earnings league table also means workers here are particularly vulnerable to increases in the cost of living.
The cost of a 12-month season ticket from Neath to Cardiff has climbed from £1,652 to £1,708. This is a significant sum of money and the fare increase will leave a bad taste in many mouths.
If Wales is to have a fighting chance in the post-Brexit economy it needs to be able to win inward investment and have the infrastructure in place so people with skills can be matched with opportunities. If we look like a gridlocked nation we can expect investors to back projects in better connected countries, and if Brexit brings trade barriers then our economy could be derailed. The Western Mail newspaper is published by Media Wales a subsidiary company of Trinity Mirror PLC, which is a member of IPSO, the Independent Press Standards Organisation. The entire contents of The Western Mail are the copyright of Media Wales Ltd. It is an offence to copy any of its contents in any way without the company’s permission. If you require a licence to copy parts of it in any way or form, write to the Head of Finance at Six Park Street. The recycled paper content of UK newspapers in 2016 was 62.8%