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Rail firms ‘picking pockets’ with 50% rise in car park charges
Dick Murray15.09.09
Rail bosses were condemned today for raising station car parking charges by up to 50 per cent to offset January's small cut in rail fares.
They were accused of “picking the pockets” of captive passengers who have nowhere else to park.
Virgin Trains was highlighted by the TSSA, the rail industry's second largest union, as leading the way with increases of between 25 per cent and 50 per cent at stations along the West Coast Main Line between Euston and Glasgow.
Annual parking charges have shot up from £655 to £980, a 50 per cent increase.
Virgin said the rises were justified and that tens of millions of pounds have been spent increasing the number of spaces with better lighting and CCTV to improve security.
First Great Western, which runs services from the west into Paddington, is increasing station parking charges by up to 30 per cent. An annual parking ticket at Reading is going up from £1,265 to £1,644.
Other train operators are also planning increases.
Gerry Doherty, TSSA general secretary, launched the attack on the rail companies the day before the transport debate at the TUC in Liverpool. He said: “It is outrageous that passengers have to pay huge increases in car parking fees just so the rail companies can offset the tiny 0.4 per cent cut in regulated fares that they will be forced to make in January.
“Passengers are paying now for the tiny benefit they will get in the new year. This is in effect a back door fares increase which is not covered by the regulated fares formula.
“The rail companies are picking the pockets of millions of passengers.”
A TSSA survey in May revealed that the private rail companies make more than £100 million a year from car parking charges.
Reader views (9)
Car parking is unregulated and, as my rail company informed me, they will 'charge what the market will stand'. As for all the smug comments along the lines of 'why not walk etc', I'd love to cycle to the station if there were somewhere secure to leave a bike, but there isn't. The first bus (to an entirely different, further away station) is 7.00am which is not a lot of use when that's when you start work 30 miles away. Walking three miles down an unlit country lane with no footpath (and at 5.30am it's dark more often than not) is not an option.
- Paul, London
Don't think for one minute that returning to a public sector run railway offers any solution. Just look to the London tube - sky-rocketing fares to pay extravagant wages and pensions for lazy unionised staff who strike at the drop of a hat - whilst the rest of London's workers suffer. I recently traveled 200 miles from London to Chester on virgin trains first class for £32 - a little under £4 less than 2 peak single fares from central London to Heathrow (a mere 13.5 miles)...
- Zady, London
Approximately 3 years ago the daily cost of parking at Grantham station was hiked from
£3 to £6 and was subsequently increased to £10. The result is that there are now vast areas of empty space as the public vote with their feet and either do not use the train or arrange to be dropped off. Both alternatives cause extra traffic and air pollution but the short sighted management at the railway companies don't care about this. What is needed is urgent reform of the way in which our railways are run.
- Simon Ellis, London
Some of us have no choice but to take a car to the station. I do not feel up to a six mile walk to get to the station - would you?
- David Savaage, harlow uk
Just where am I going to park my car if the fees go up, the fees are worth more than my car?
I am certainly not going to cycle anywhere just to satisfy bearded muesli munching sandal wearing hippy who wish to dictate my transport lifestyle.
It sounds good, cycling to work, but what happens when its raining to my computer, my papers and my suit, this does not all fit in a rucksack and cycling 10 miles both ways down county lanes in wet and dark weather, certainly no help if there two of you and walking no chance, there are no footpaths along roads in the country and if you are over 50 any transport other than a car is pure fantasy
The problem is that in the country you are a captive income source to the train companies and these idealistic cycling advocates have no idea about real world issues, just their own little self-centred world.
- Jamie, City of London
Millions of pounds to increase security and lighting? Sounds great but in reality (in my experience) there's always a disclaimer absolving the car park owners of any responsibility in case of criminal damage to cars/property... I think a 50% increase is a bit steep. Also Reuben, we don't all live within walking distance of stations or our place of work.
- Paul, Chatham, UK
Why condemn is tht all you can do ? stop these thieves !
- Brian, Wiltshire
What is wrong with walking?
- Reuben Camara, Morecambe Compound, EUSSR
Perhaps this will encourage a few more people to cycle to their local station - or use a scooter?
- Stephen Lawrence, Cambridge, England
