CAMPAIGNERS will call for the renationalisation of the railways during a demo at Oxford and Oxford Parkway stations next week.

Oxford East MP Anneliese Dodds will be joining Monday’s demonstration, which is part of a nationwide ‘campaign day’ by Labour.

Rail services across the country have been criticised for poor service in recent years, but Oxford Station was named ‘second worst’ in England last May, while commuters around the county often face delays.

The Oxford East MP said: “After a summer of chaos on our rail network, affecting millions of passengers and rail workers across the country, I will be speaking to commuters and campaigning for a fairer rail system that puts passengers before profits.

“I look forward to discussing this issue with constituents and hearing their views.”

Demonstrators will gather outside the two station from 7am on Monday, before talking to travellers about Labour’s transport plans and handing out leaflets.

Rabyah Khan, the co-chair for Oxford and District Labour Party, added: “Hard-working commuters in Oxford will possibly face yet more fare increases in the new year when fares are expected to rise up to three and a half per cent, which would be higher than increases to wages.

“As it stands, commuters travelling from Oxford Parkway to London Marylebone can expect to pay an eye-watering £5,824 for an annual ticket. Labour would bring our railways back into public ownership."

Conservative Councillor Yvonne Constance, the County Council Cabinet member for transport, said: "Renationalising the railways will do absolutely nothing to solve the basic problem of running our railways: we are still trying to run 27,000 trains or more each day on a Victorian railway system.  

"The endless upgrades of signalling and track are all attempts to manage the growth in rail traffic after a long long period of underinvestment when the car was king.

"Rediscovering the importance of rail in the past 20 years is a welcome revival, and government has made serious commitments to major investment in HS2 and the EWR and we keep pressing for more to ensure good services to meet the growth in housing in Oxfordshire."