Train Fares Set To Soar In New Year
Tens of thousands of rail commuters will have to pay more than £5,000 a year for their season tickets after new rises come into effect in January, a union warned today (Tuesday 14th August).
The Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) said people travelling from counties - including Hampshire - up to London will have to spend more than £100 a week from the new year just to get to work.
The TSSA made the claim as it joined other unions, transport campaigners and rail passenger groups in a day of action to protest at 'massive' fare increases and cuts to jobs and services.
A series of demonstrations were held at railway stations across the country this morning, including in Portsmouth and Southampton.
Rail unions have warned that some fares could jump by 11% from the new year, while most rush-hour travel, season tickets and off-peak fares will rise by well above the rate of inflation.
Up to 20,000 jobs in the rail industry are at risk under cost-cutting proposals, which will hit station staff, guards, catering and ticket offices, unions said.
Union officials at today's protests stepped up demands for the railways to be returned to public ownership, saying that privatisation has led to some of the highest fares in Europe despite a massive increase in taxpayer subsidies to the industry.
TSSA leader Manuel Cortes said: "It is complete nonsense to say fares have to rise above inflation every year to pay for new rail projects.
"Air travellers don't pay higher taxes to get new runways built, and motorists certainly don't pay more for new roads.
"This is all about squeezing a captive audience, the commuter, until the pips squeak. It is little more than daylight robbery."
Stephen Joseph, chief executive of the Campaign for Better Transport, said: "If the Government sticks by its policy, rail fares will rise three times faster than salaries. With the economy flat-lining, this is untenable.
"The Government knows they can't continue to hit commuters - that's why they've postponed the fuel duty increase. Now they need to give the same help to rail users."
