Tonight:
8°c
Fares up and rail delays for return to work
Dick Murray and Nicholas Cecil05.01.09
COMMUTERS were faced with inflation-busting fare increases today as they returned to work - and to a rail network hit by problems.
There was mounting anger at rail, Tube and bus fares which all rose by an average of six per cent. The biggest rises saw some passengers paying 15 per cent more for their tickets, while more than 500,000 commuters will have to pay up to 10 per cent more.
As they forked out for the increased cost of travel, disruption hit Euston and Liverpool Street, two of London's busiest mainline terminals.
At Euston, Virgin trains were severely delayed after an express train ripped down overhead wiring outside Watford Junction, while engineering works overran at Liverpool Street. A number of National Express East Anglia services were cancelled or delayed. Engineers worked through the night to repair the damage at Watford Junction but were unable to get full services working in time for the morning rush.
But concern was focused on the scale of the increases faced by passengers, while the Government was in disarray over the growing fares rebellion.
It is refusing demands to change the formula of basing fare increases in January on inflation in July. The figure in July was five per cent, leading to the average six per cent rise today.
Labour MP Louise Ellman said passengers were being priced off the railways with the inflation-linked rises and her transport select committee is now considering a full-scale inquiry.
Mayor Boris Johnson was also under attack over his six per cent rise in most bus and Tube fares. The most significant is the 11 per cent rise in Oyster pay-as-you-go bus fares, from 90p to £1.
Tube fare rises include Oyster pay-as-you-go in zones one and two up from £1.50 to £1.60, while a weekly Travelcard from zone six to zone one goes up from £44.60 to £47.60.
Former mayor Ken Livingstone said: "Above-inflation fares hitting Londoners going back to work today provides them with a New Year hangover courtesy of the Mayor."
The biggest rises have hit mainline rail as firms exploit regulations allowing them to increase some fares by more than average in return for limiting others.
A South West Trains day return between Waterloo and Weymouth now costs £53.50 - a 15.1 per cent rise in a year. SWT is owned by Stagecoach, which reported an interim increase in operating profits of 25.3 per cent to £31.7 million for the six months ending 31 October.
Southeastern, the busiest commuter operator, has permission to raise its peak time fares by RPI plus three per cent, to fund new high-speed services on the Channel Tunnel Rail Link from Ashford into St Pancras International.
Gerry Doherty, leader of the TSSA rail union, said: "Ministers are penalising long-suffering passengers by allowing this price-fixing cartel to go on. This rip-off should be halted immediately by scrapping this fares formula and freezing fares until we emerge from the recession."
The Association of Train Operating Companies said it was only the Government which could make changes to the way fares are calculated.
The Department for Transport ruled out any change. A spokeswoman said: "The fares increases in 2010 will be based on July 2009's Retail Price Index figure.
"The Fares Index published by the Office of Rail Regulation shows increases in regulated (peak) fares have been, on average, below inflation over the 10 years to 2008."
Reader views (20)
I was thinking of moving back, I've had a number of tempting offers, but this continuing situation has brought me to my senses. I think I'll stay put out here and carry on depriving the UK Treasury of my taxes.
- Richard, Madrid, Spain
I was delighted to discover this feature in yesterday's Standard, as I thought I was the only person who had noticed this cynical mismanagement of our transport infrastructure by short-term franchise holders. FirstGroup, for instance, has massive offshore interests in North America and is favoured by investors because it's not over exposed to rail travel (!) a search on google for 'first crapital connect' uncovers a wealth of well-informed comment from many other totally furious commuters who are very much held to ransom by these companies on behalf of their shareholders.
- Peter Hughes, St Albans, UK
You will all complain about the price hikes for two weeks to the staff that have nothing to do with the rises (I bet their wages will not go up the same percentage), and then you will pay the fares anyhow, inwardly resenting yourself for being weak. And you will do exactly the same next year. It used to be highwaymen that robbed stagecoaches; now Stagecoach robs you.
- James, Woking
The rise in fare prices isn't the only factor. The morning Peak travel period now starts earlier than before, which I only noticed when my normal journey started costing me £3.70 instead of £2.00. I don't seem to remember the change being widely advertised.
- Chris White, Hayes, Middlesex
Move then and stop whinging. I didn't like london anymore so moved to Australia and man is it great. For about 4 pounds I can travel (return ticket) pretty much anywhere in brisbane I like by bus, train and hovercat! When you buy the ticket they always sell you the CHEAPEST fare and everything ticks along like clockwork. Stations are always manned, staff help you with bags, the eldreley and disabled are allowed on the trains etc first, people are polite, no one jumps onto the train before everyone has exited, trains are immaculately clean, people respect each other and i haven't been 'intimately touched' by mistake once on the trains here because everyone gets a seat. The reason the UK's falling apart? Because all the useful people like me left! If you don't like it do something, otherwise you can sit out in the cold gloomy winter for the next fifty years wondering where you all went wrong
- Tonto, Brisbane
I have little choice but to travel by tube. I'm a mature university student and my monthly card has gone up to just shy of £70!! I used PAYG today to go to university and it cost me £3,20 return off peak! Absolutely mad! TfL and GLA need to freeze the prices. If you lot want fewer cars on the road, then get the public transport sorted first!
- Tristan, London
Nice one Crash Gordon: tell us British taxpayers where has all the money gone you took from us working people?!??
- Jacqueline, Hampstead, London
The Pay As You Go fare quoted in the article is the off peak fare (rising 7%). My PAYG fare Z2 to Z1 rose from £2 to £2.20 - a 10% increase... thanks Boris! So much for support during the downturn.
- Jonb, London
until people dig their heels in vast numbers they will continue to be robbed just like the utilitie bills it goes on and on they wont stand any nonsense in other countries, labour govermnent wont help its up to us to stay at home and bring britain to a standstill then they will have to do something!
- Paul Connolly, herts
If only we had invested the last years...
- Ally, London
Why do people go live so far they only have themselves to blame. With this incompetent government did they expect it would work??
- Steveo, London, NW1
By way of comparison, I just travelled from Brussells to Frankfurt on Christmas Day for €49 first class.
There was a full service operating with no delays.
We cannot keep up the rail network at reasonable cost and I suspect the problem lies with inadequate education in engineering disciplines.
I think we should look urgently to the continent for help.
- Nick, London
Yes.. even more money for the continuing misery. My monthly season ticket to commute to London from Colchester now costs as much as my 200K mortgage. Rush-hour journeys are hell and nearly always late. On Sundays there is little or no service - but we still have to pay for it.
- Steven Davidson, Colchester, England
Why is it we the public and the government allow the transport network to do this. Surely with all the financial worries in the country fares should be kept at 2008 prices (at least). I hope for once the media get onboard this issue and help the people stand up and tell these companies what they should know already. It wouldn't be so painful if the trains actually ran on time or if every carriage wasn't dangerously overcrowded. Lets not let them get away with it for another year...
- Daniel, London
I can understand that, due to past disinvestment in railways, private companies now running rail services are saddled with a large bill to bring things up to date, however in no other industry are companies able to sting customers for investment they have not yet made. Rail companies are essentially able to bill their customers for work BEFORE they have carried it out. What we have here now is a private monopoly in place
- Mcw, London
The station that I travel from had no staff present - they were tucked away in their office, and the platforms were not even gritted! Oh and surprise, surprise my train was cancelled! The Government can say what they want but the fares keep on increasing - pretty soon no one will be able to afford to commute into London. Everyone should complain on their respective train company's web page - South Eastern have a feedback page, where you can complain.
- Jk, Kent
Our country's infrastructure has fallen into complete disrepair.
- Georgie, Islington, London
10.6% fare increase; more passengers stuffed into over-crowded coaches (forcing intimate contact on all sides thank you very much); train running late, but just below regulator's threshold of perception; signs threatening prosecution of passengers who abuse staff; slow "revenue protection" turn-stiles causing bottle-neck on platform; all week-end service pemanently suspended. Great business model! If only Woolworth's had come up with one like this, they would still be trading.
- Bloke, London
Yes of course Mr Livingstone, nothing went up when you were in charge did they?!!!
- Nl, london
My train was delayed by 15 mins and only one ticket booth was opened at my station. It's a joke that I'm paying more money for a worse service!
- Aria, South London
