Greens love the trains...but hate fare rises

10:30am Friday 15th February 2013 in News

David Williams, Craig Simmons and Elise Benjamin David Williams, Craig Simmons and Elise Benjamin

POLITICIANS spent part of their Valentine’s Day outside Oxford Station professing their love for rail travel.

But yesterday they were also protesting against the year-on-year increases in fares which came in last month with season tickets in Oxfordshire increasing by up to 9.2 per cent.

City councillor David Williams, who is leader of the Green Party on Oxford City Council, was on the protest.

He said: “Rail fares have soared above inflation for the 10th year running. They have increased almost three times faster than wages and are now 26 per cent higher than before the recession. Is it any wonder we pay more than anywhere else in Europe?”

Association of Train Operating Companies spokesman Daniel Golding said: "We understand commuters don't like to pay more to travel to work. Successive governments have required train companies to increase the average price of season tickets every January since 2004 by more than inflation.

"This approach is to reduce the contribution taxpayers make to railway running costs and increase the share paid by passenger while sustaining investment in better stations, new trains and faster services."

Related links

Comments (4)

11:44am Fri 15 Feb 13

zimmer, Wolvecote. says...

If you get a return to London at the rail station it will cost £23.50 for a 110 mile round trip. If you get a return on No 3 to Iffley road at the rail station it will cost £3.10 for a 3 and a half mile round trip. So the train trip is roughly 21p a mile, and the bus trip 90p a mile. I know which one is good value. But then again I have a bus pass so all trips are free, that is the best value.
If you get a return to London at the rail station it will cost £23.50 for a 110 mile round trip. If you get a return on No 3 to Iffley road at the rail station it will cost £3.10 for a 3 and a half mile round trip. So the train trip is roughly 21p a mile, and the bus trip 90p a mile. I know which one is good value. But then again I have a bus pass so all trips are free, that is the best value. zimmer, Wolvecote.

12:59pm Fri 15 Feb 13

bobsmith61 says...

Or you can take the tube from Leicester Square to covent gardent, which is 0.16 miles and costs £4.50, giving a price of just over £28.12 a mile, bargin.
Or you can take the tube from Leicester Square to covent gardent, which is 0.16 miles and costs £4.50, giving a price of just over £28.12 a mile, bargin. bobsmith61

1:09pm Fri 15 Feb 13

Andrew:Oxford says...

It helps if you compare like with like... £56.40 for an anytime return ticket to London on the train.

I am, of course, delighted to see the Greens come out in favour of rail travel.

It will be good to see them strongly support HS2 and the proposed East-West & Chiltern link to London.
It helps if you compare like with like... £56.40 for an anytime return ticket to London on the train. I am, of course, delighted to see the Greens come out in favour of rail travel. It will be good to see them strongly support HS2 and the proposed East-West & Chiltern link to London. Andrew:Oxford

12:40am Sun 17 Feb 13

Geoff Roberts says...

Straw man.
Straw man. Geoff Roberts

Comments are closed on this article.

click2find

About cookies

We want you to enjoy your visit to our website. That's why we use cookies to enhance your experience. By staying on our website you agree to our use of cookies. Find out more about the cookies we use.

I agree