‘I have to work an extra job just to be able to afford the train’
The neon words of the announcement board at Maidstone East station flickered periodically as commuters came and went, with many heading to the ticket machines.
Nothing unusual in that, but with rail fares set to take on a 3.8% price hike in March, the steepest increase since January 2013, how do the travelling public feel about train prices.
The increase is set on regulated fares namely: Season tickets, anytime day, off peak and super off peak tickets. This will be part of the government’s way to ease the financial burden on the industry.
Coupled with the rise in living costs shown by the 5.4% increase in CPI (Consumer Price Index) in the 12 months to December, up from 5.1% in November, and now the announcement that energy prices could rise by 54%, from April, adding around £693 to bills for a typical household, it’s fair to say people are strapped for cash.
Commuters such as student, Jessica Ellis, 18, said: “I don’t really know why it would go up its already expensive as it is. I have to work an extra job just so I can manage to afford the train.
“The buses are just as expensive and they take longer and I can’t drive so this is my only option.”
Jessica who travels three to four times a week between Maidstone East and Canterbury spends £12 to £13 a day on travel with a railcard.
She explained that if she didn’t have one, travel would cost up to £20 a day.
Commuters like Domika, a 28 year old dental nurse, fear the potential social impact of rising fares.
“I remember I had to pay a fine a few years ago when I was 18, it cost me nearly £2,00 because I just ignored it. They are quite hard on people who maybe don’t
have a lot of money and they just bunk the train because they can’t afford it and now it’s going to go up again.”
Previously rail fare increases were normally implemented on the first working day of each year. However, due to the economic effects of Covid-19, increases were delayed until March to give people more time to save money.
The government has been faced with the dilemma of getting people back onto the trains while also managing the financial impact the pandemic has had on the industry.
With 14bn of taxpayers’ money spent to keep services running during the pandemic, the rise has been implemented to balance some of these costs and pay for service improvements.
However, critics like Paul Tuohy, Chief Executive of
Campaign for Better Transport, believe that the government should be doing more to encourage a more sustainable and affordable service.
He commented: “Considering the urgent need to act on climate change, the government should be doing more to encourage people to use green modes of transport.
“It should have frozen rail fares for 2022, just as fuel duty for car drivers has long been frozen, instead, some commuters will be asked to pay hundreds of pounds more for their season tickets.”
Commuters appeared to share a similar sentiment of discontent, but had no other choice than to accept it.
Sydney, 25, a part time Post Office worker, who travels between Maidstone East and West Malling gets a daily £5.60 return ticket.
He said: “No one can afford it any more really, it’s a bit of a joke, what can you do about it, nothing really.”
Sinthuja, a 29 year old medical assistant who heads to a GP surgery in London, said: “Every two weeks it will cost me about £38.
“We rely on trains as an emergency commute to places as far as London.
Sometimes you can’t take the car because the weathers bad or another family member has to take the car.”