Protesters denounce rail travel ‘double whammy’

As Transport Minister Norman Baker was describing the fare structure as “not ideal”, commuters out in the dark and cold of an early January morning faced widespread delays and cancellations.

From yesterday regulated fares, which include season tickets, have risen by an average of 4.2 per cent, with the average increase for all fares being 3.9 per cent.

Campaigners have hit out at the 10th successive above-inflation annual rise, with some fares having increased by more than 50 per cent in the past 10 years.

Waiting for trains to Yorkshire at King’s Cross station in London, passengers expressed their anger at the rise.

Leeds-bound hairdresser Gavin Lambert, 45, described his service as “rarely on time and often overcrowded”, while his friend Kevin Gowland, 46, a musician, said people were taking to the roads as the rail service was “so bad”.

Outside the station, Shadow Transport Secretary Maria Eagle joined a protest against the high fares mounted by transport union TSSA.

Mr Baker said the Government wanted to end above-inflation fares as soon as possible but Ms Eagle claimed the Government had “caved in” to train companies by allowing some regulated fares to rise by more than 4.2 per cent as long as the overall average was maintained.

The new year brought additional problems during the rush-hour across the country.

Greater Anglia had to cancel some services, and there was disruption to Southern and Southeastern train company services. Buses had to replace trains for a time in some areas of Berkshire and East Anglia.

Over-running engineering work affected some routes in and out of London’s Cannon Street station.

A signalling problem led to delays between Southampton Central and Fareham in Hampshire, while an earlier signalling problem at Dalston in Cumbria meant morning-long hold-ups between Carlisle and Whitehaven.

Flooding led to disruption between Exeter St Davids and Barnstaple in Devon, with a normal service not expected to run until tomorrow at the earliest.

Mr Baker said 40 per cent of fares were regulated in a long-standing policy that had existed under successive governments. He added: “The balance of regulation and which fares are regulated is part of the fares and ticketing review we are now engaged upon. It’s not ideal.

There are over 100,000 rail tickets and different prices each year to deal with. It’s a hugely complicated issue.

“So it’s important we try to get the best value for the passenger, the best value for the taxpayer and the simplest, (most) transparent system we can, given the need to ensure rail companies can price appropriately to attract people on to off-peak trains which might otherwise be running empty.”

The Association of Train Operating Companies said it recognised nobody liked paying more for their journey but added that railway funding could only come from taxpayers or from passengers “and the Government’s policy remains that a bigger share must come from people who use the train”.

Ms Eagle said: “Train companies are the ones profiting from this rise. The Government has caved in to pressure from the train companies to allow some fares to rise above the so-called 4.2 per cent cap.”

Among above-average rises from yesterday are a 6.16 per cent hike for a Leeds to Wakefield season ticket, while a Ludlow to Hereford season ticket is increasing 5.28 per cent.