Rail hikes slammed
RAIL fare hikes have been slammed by passenger groups as ticket prices are up 3.1 per cent on average.
And fewer than half of passengers are satisfied with the level of service offered by rail companies.
TRANSPORT campaigners have described the 3.1 per cent increase in average rail fares as “another kick in the wallet” for passengers as punctuality hit a 13-year low.
The cost of many rail season tickets rose by more than £100 due to the annual price hike, which comes into force today.
ScotRail prices will increase by an average of 2.8 per cent while passengers using Virgin service will see a 3.2 per cent hike, although fares for the Caledonian Sleeper service are frozen.
The price of a 12-month season ticket from Stirling to Glasgow will rise by £68, from £2,160 to £2,228.
Research shows UK passengers spend up to five times as much on season tickets as other European travellers.
Rail union leaders, politicians and campaigners will protest outside stations across the country including London King’s Cross, Cardiff, Liverpool, Manchester, Bristol, Leeds, Norwich and Birmingham.
In November, the head of Scotrail defended the operator’s performance saying new high speed trains on the Glasgow to Edinburgh line had already shown improvements in journey times.
A massive redevelopment of Queen Street station is due to be completed in 2020 after the project suffered delays.
Darren Shirley, chief executive of the Campaign for Better Transport, said passengers “suffered atrocious service in 2018”.
He said the latest fare increase will “only add to their misery”.
Bruce Williamson, of campaign group Railfuture, claimed passengers are being given “another kick in the wallet” following a “terrible year” on the railway.
He said: “Since 2004, rail fares have raced ahead of people’s incomes whilst the cost of motoring has remained static, partly thanks to the Government’s continuing freeze on fuel duty.
“Petrol is now cheaper than it was in 2011, when the last fuel duty increase kicked in.
“In that time, rail fares have gone up 28 per cent.
“Are they trying to drive us off the railways?”
Fewer than half (45 per cent) of passengers are satisfied with the value for money of train tickets, according to a survey by watchdog Transport Focus.
Labour’s shadow transport secretary Andy McDonald said: “Today’s rail fare increases are an affront to everyone who has had to endure years of chaos on Britain’s railways.
“Falling standards and rising fares are a national disgrace.
“The Government must now step in to freeze fares on the worst performing routes.”