Monday, July 23, 2007
Fares going off the rails?
LIBERAL DEMOCRATS CALL FOR INQUIRY INTO RAIL FARE RISES
New research from the Liberal Democrats reveals that the most expensive train companies in Britain charge more than four times as much per mile as the cheapest. The figures have been released ahead of the announcement of the government's new rail strategy expected today. Research reveals:
· £10 takes you 118 miles on Merseyrail with a standard saver return, but only 27 miles on the Heathrow Express
· Excluding airport shuttle services, the most expensive company is Hull Trains, taking you just 49 miles for £10 on a saver return
· On average, open single fares are twice the price per mile of saver return fares.
There is clearly a huge price disparity between the cheapest and most expensive fares. There should be an urgent inquiry into the cost of unregulated fares, to stop passengers paying even more per mile in the future. How do ministers expect to get people out of their cars and onto public transport when using the railways is so expensive?
New research from the Liberal Democrats reveals that the most expensive train companies in Britain charge more than four times as much per mile as the cheapest. The figures have been released ahead of the announcement of the government's new rail strategy expected today. Research reveals:
· £10 takes you 118 miles on Merseyrail with a standard saver return, but only 27 miles on the Heathrow Express
· Excluding airport shuttle services, the most expensive company is Hull Trains, taking you just 49 miles for £10 on a saver return
· On average, open single fares are twice the price per mile of saver return fares.
There is clearly a huge price disparity between the cheapest and most expensive fares. There should be an urgent inquiry into the cost of unregulated fares, to stop passengers paying even more per mile in the future. How do ministers expect to get people out of their cars and onto public transport when using the railways is so expensive?
# posted by John Beanse @ 3:50 PM 
Comments:
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And if price is forcibly lowered then that means money from the tax payers pockets.
And even more crowded trains which will cause people to use their cars just as much.
Also - do we really want to force people onto rail for environmental reasons? ISTR a recent report from the railway industry saying that for some journey's cars were more environmentally friendly... Its not so clear cut.
Dictat doesn't work. As liberals we're surely keen on markets and less government control. Why not apply that in environmental matters as well as personal ones?
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And even more crowded trains which will cause people to use their cars just as much.
Also - do we really want to force people onto rail for environmental reasons? ISTR a recent report from the railway industry saying that for some journey's cars were more environmentally friendly... Its not so clear cut.
Dictat doesn't work. As liberals we're surely keen on markets and less government control. Why not apply that in environmental matters as well as personal ones?
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