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MPs grill rail bosses over fare rises
Dick Murray5 Feb 2009
Rail chiefs faced a barrage of criticism after appearing before MPs to be questioned about inflation-busting fare rises.
The grilling from the influential transport select committee follows anger at the increases introduced on 1 January.
Commuter fares rose by an average of six or eight per cent, adding hundreds of pounds to the annual season ticket. Off-peak tickets increased even more.
Directors of National Express, Virgin Trains, First Group, Southeastern trains and the Association of Train Operating Companies were among those questioned. Committee chairman Louise Ellman repeatedly asked them “to justify the increases”.
Paul Bunting, UK director of National Express said there had been some “headline fares”, but these were a “small proportion of the total”. He added: “There is a wide range of fares.”
Graham Leech, commercial director of Virgin Trains, said that many passengers were paying less now for their tickets than this time last year.
He said in view of a 30 per cent increase in service on the West Coast Mainline “the increases that we make can be justified”.
Mrs Ellman interrupted to say there had been “massive” increases and there were “restrictions” on the use of cheap advance tickets.
Committee member Philip Hollobone said: “Second only to bankers in the City of London, you must be the most unpopular people in the country.”
He said the bosses had been “fleecing” passengers. The fares rise “was in excess of inflation for poor service”.
Transport minister Lord Adonis will give evidence to the committee's investigation into rail fares and franchises later this month.
The six claimed there were no cuts in service and that passenger satisfaction was rising. The claims came as South West Trains announced 180 more jobs cuts in addition to the 480 confirmed last week.
Bob Crow, leader of the RMT, said: “SWT's attacks on its staff and passengers are eating into the very fabric of the railway they are supposed to be running and they must be stopped.” He said the cuts were “the accounting of the madhouse”.
Gerry Doherty, general secretary of the TSSA transport union, said: “We will fight compulsory redundancies. The company is protecting its profit margins by cutting jobs and services.”
National Express has already announced 750 job losses and Southeastern, 300.
Reader views (9)
All utility privateisations have been a disaster,however the greatest disaster of all was rail privateisation.
There is one answer, and one only to the profit & cut system that the rail companies are useing.
NATIONALISATION!!.
- Gerry, Chatham KENT UK, 05/02/2009 22:25
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You have to pay for what you get. Compare european costs of a ticket if you will, but then add in the subsidies provided by the general taxpayer and you will get the real cost.
- Stephen Burgwin, birmingham, uk, 05/02/2009 14:29
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Leech: what a marvellous name for the Virgin fat cat. I am happy to say I *never* use trains (good, less money to be trousered by the Leeches of this world) but fully support those who have no option.
- Annabelle, london, 05/02/2009 14:06
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Where do they get their surveys from? In every survey that I have completed for South Eastern I have complained at the service! My annual fare is increasing yet again by a huge amount, so I am not one to be benefitting. They are fleecing the passengers who are totally reliant on rail travel to get to their jobs. Someone has got to put a stop this. It is out of control.
- Anon, London, 05/02/2009 13:35
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And to think that the government is promoting a workplace parking levy to push more people onto public transport...
Getting the service and price right would be a better idea if you want us to leave our cars at home. And that means that your government shouldn't fleece commuters by whacking up the rail franchise charges as a soft tax target.
- Brian, London, 05/02/2009 13:13
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Only 2 days to go and I will be cycling to work, goodbye forever First Late Western.........
- Alan, London, 05/02/2009 13:01
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The news report that the Transport Committe is influential would suggest that the members are doing their job which would mean rail fares woudl be reasonable and there would not be overcrowding and services are not being cut. So exactly how are they supposed to be influential. It would seem the best the UK can offer is hidden in the headline. These pointless MPs will grill the rail chiefs while ordinary people suffer? Oh I am really scared said the fat cat rail chief!
- Val Keller, London UK, 05/02/2009 11:20
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I travel into Cannon St or Charing Cross every morning. My monthly ticket has risen £35 yet I arrive most mornings between 10 and 15 mins late having sat outside London Bridge for an eternity. Southeastern trains can do what they like when they like and from what I can see no one has the power to stop them.
- Tim, Kent, 05/02/2009 10:32
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So Graham Leach makes the amazing statement that ticket prices on many Virgin Train services are lower than a year ago! As a former passenger on Virgin Trains I wish I could say this assertion is true - it is not. The cost of travelling between London and Manchester is now so expensive it is cheaper for my company to use a taxi. All Virgin Trains are concerned about is promoting a slick image whilst we now know that service standards are poor and ticket prices very, very high.
- Simon Ellis, London, 05/02/2009 10:18
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