Passenger anger at rail fare increase
Rail passenger groups gave an angry response to today’s announcement that fares in the South are about to go up by more than the rate of inflation.
The Transport Secretary, Alistair Darling, told the Commons today that the cap on increases to regulated fares of 1% below the rate of inflation will be scrapped, and that operators will be allowed to put up their prices on regulated fares for London commuter routes, saver fares and standard weekly tickets by inflation plus 1%.
The extra revenue is needed to fund the investment in track improvements and rolling stock, and supporters of the move have claimed that the taxpayer should not have to subsidise services that most people do not use.
However, the Rail Passengers’ Council has claimed that commuters should not have to pay above-inflation fares when trains are not punctual and when services have been heavily disrupted for the last two-and-a-half years.
The latest figures from the Strategic Rail Authority this week showed that one in five trains is delayed.
According to Mr. Darling the Government is currently spending £73m a week on improving the railways. That comes on top of the £300m of taxpayers’ money that funded the Network Rail’s takeover of Railtrack after it was put into administration.
The new cap will be introduced in January of next year.
