CAREW SLAMS PRICE INCREASES FOR RAIL PASSENGERS (Hampshire Liberal Democrats)

Hampshire Liberal Democrats <info@hantslibdems.org.uk>

CAREW SLAMS PRICE INCREASES FOR RAIL PASSENGERS

September 28, 2008 9:28 PM

Rail companies planned hike in peak and off peak travel are beyond belief.

These increases are unfair and unjustified. British rail passengers already pay more per mile than most of the rest of Europe. So to make travellers pick up even more of the bill is totally unacceptable.

County Councillor Adam Carew said, "I travel back and forth to London by train from Liphook, Alton and Haselmere on a fairly regular basis to attend meetings and to see my partner Jenny. At peak times its hard to find a seat."

"Hardworking Commuters will wonder why they should have to pay even more hard earned money to be squashed onto packed trains."

According to the Association of Train Operating Companies, season tickets and saver and standard day returns will rise by 4.8% on average, other fares will go up by an average of 5.4%. It will surprise no-one that commuters travelling to London, are expected to be worst hit ! For those travelleing on South West Trains, fares are expected to rise by an average of 4.8 per cent.

Adam Carew said, "We are having to pay above-inflation increases because the Government has given the green light for rail companies to rip off their customers. The Government fare formula allows tickets to increase by three percentage points more than July's retail price inflation each year."

Figures released in September showed that rail travel is at its highest level for 60 years. Is the money going into expanding the rail network. The sad truth is since the Tories privatisation went too far - the rail companies put their shareholders before their customers. This Labour government have had 10 years to do something and are afraid to intervene.

The Govt says it wants to encourage a modal shift away from cars onto public transport to cut congestion and tackle climate change. How on earth are they going to achieve this if the allow the train companies to constantly increase the cost of rail fares in this fashion.

When this Labour Government came to power in 1997 we were promised an efficient fully integrated public transport system that would provide value for money and be the envy of Europe.

Well 10 years on - we are still waiting