Transport Focus chief leads attack on rail fares increases
TRANSPORT Focus Chief Executive Anthony Smith led the criticism of the January 2019 fares rise (of a claimed average of 3.1% for regulated fares), remarking: “Passengers won’t believe this is not fake news!”
In a strongly worded statement, Smith added: “Rail fares are going up in January after a year blighted by timetable chaos, poor performance and strikes. Until dayto-day reliability returns, with fewer significant delays and cancellations, passenger trust won’t begin to recover.
“Passengers now pour over £10 billion a year into the railway alongside significant government investment, so the rail industry cannot be short of funding. When will this translate into more reliable services that are better value for money?
“The Government’s Rail Review must bring changes to the industry that benefit 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 Price Index.”
Secretary of State for Transport Chris Grayling blamed rail unions for the fare rises, saying: “The reality is the fare increases are higher than they should be because the unions demand - with threats of national rail strikes if they don’t get them - higher pay rises than anybody else.”
The Rail Delivery Group, which represents train operators, said fare rises were “underpinning record investment to build the better railway customers want and the country’s economy needs”.
However, Shadow Transport Secretary Andy McDonald described the rise as “an affront to everyone who has had to endure years of chaos on Britain’s railways”.
He continued: “Falling standards and rising fares are a national disgrace. The Government must now step in to freeze fares on the worst-performing routes.”
Labour claims that the cost of a season ticket from Tame Bridge Parkway to Nuneaton has risen by 54% since 2010 to £3,008 this year, which it believes is the greatest percentage increase of any season ticket.
It also claims that the £2,872 increase since 2010 in the cost of a Birmingham-London ticket valid on Virgin Trains, to £10,900, is the largest absolute rise in season ticket prices.
Campaign for Better Transport Chief Executive Darren Shirley pinned the blame on the Government: “The Government’s decision to press ahead with this fare rise despite a year of delays, cancellations and overcrowding shows a total disregard for passengers and may leave many wondering what they are paying for.”