Train fares double — outrageous!

[jonboy]

Can you seriously believe a Labour government is so anti-populace? Train fares to double on some routes and Cheap Day Returns times to become draconian:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-2248275,00.html


.

[21QUEST]

Mr Darling said that his decision to award the Thameslink/Great Northern franchise to First would “deliver better services to passengers”. He continued: “There will be increased capacity into London during peak times, enhanced facilities for passengers on board trains and at stations and reliability will improve.” Mr Darling made no mention of fare increases even though First had made clear to the department that the £800 million it was paying over nine years to run the franchise depended on restricting cheap tickets.
Then this
THE Government struck a secret deal with Britain’s biggest train company to double fares on some routes as the cheapest way of reducing overcrowding.

Magic




Cheers
Ben

[thegibdog]

Yeah, you would've thought the best way to reduce overcrowding would be to put on more and/or bigger trains.

[Balky001]

THE Government struck a secret deal with Britain’s biggest train company to double fares on some routes as the cheapest way of reducing overcrowding.

Magic



Ex-socialists (if Blair ever was regardless of what he told Foot) doing secret deals that burdens the average working person? Hmmm, almost as sad as when the pigs sold Boxer in Animal Farm.

[The Basket]

Trains?

Are they there for a service or to make money?

I though Blair wanted more on the trains and less on the roads.

No...he isn't a socialist then...but then I knew that a long time ago.

Odd that in his student days, he would have protested against his own policies.

The idealism of youth. :roll:

[Ping]

:shock: What the HELL are they expecting people to do??? Fuel is extortionate, because they want to force people onto public transport... but now they're trying to force people off it to deal with overcrowding??? I'm utterly gobsmacked... The lot of 'em need taking out back and putting out of our misery.


I say force companies to let people work from home if it's practical. I wouldn't travel into London if I didn't have to. Up the workers!!! er.... well, not literally obviously... :lol:

[the_runt69]

Bet they dont double my wages, but its only the high speed link thats going to have premium fares on my side.

H

[rwoodcock01]

From home to London on the train its something like £100 plus, if I take the bike, its costs me about £6 to fill up at gateway. and coming home about £8 (I tend to go a bit faster home! :wink: :lol: )

In total never more than £20 a day, and its normaly cheaper than that, so in summary always taking the bike since its damm cheaper than the train. Mind you there are times when I would love to get up late (welll for me) and be on the 7am train into work, it ould be lovely.

But hell, I always have a smile on my face coming in on the bike.

Rich

P.S. If the cost of living keeps going up the wages have to compensate, but I won't hold my breath!

[K]

At this rate you may as well bring back steam engines - at least then we had a rail network the world envied and it gave trainspotters something cool to look at.

[Flamin_Squirrel]

P.S. If the cost of living keeps going up the wages have to compensate, but I won't hold my breath!

They are overall, hence a rise in inflation. This is something the government should be trying to prevent of course, but are infact encoraging by taxing the hell out of everyone, including the poor.

Labour arent for the low paid worker, they certainly arent for the high paid worker - seems like the only people they're for are the non workers :evil:

[Shinsei Jutsu]

First they complain too many people ttavel by car and should use public transport, and now they are complaining of over crowding on public transport and what to push people off the trains. errr you make-a-no sense.

[Viney]

Remember, its not labour, and it aint new!!

Nothing in this world surprises me anymore. What with this and reports in the papers this week that congestion in london is back to pre CC levels, whatare we to do. I havent had even a cost of living rise in 2 years and not due a rise until at least october.


Lucky i come in on the bike.

[Flamin_Squirrel]

Remember, its not labour, and it aint new!!

Nothing in this world surprises me anymore. What with this and reports in the papers this week that congestion in london is back to pre CC levels, whatare we to do. I havent had even a cost of living rise in 2 years and not due a rise until at least october.


Lucky i come in on the bike.

The congestion charge was never put in place to cut congestion though.

[Marshall]

:shock: What the HELL are they expecting people to do??? Fuel is extortionate, because they want to force people onto public transport... but now they're trying to force people off it to deal with overcrowding??? I'm utterly gobsmacked... The lot of 'em need taking out back and putting out of our misery.

Well said, i cant fecking belive it

[Iansv]

So glad I don't have to use trains anymore, tis even more ridiculous now than ever

[Demonz]

Well the only postive thing I can say about that is it will push more people onto alternatives - motorcycles, working from home or locally. That cant be bad?

[Viney]

Remember, its not labour, and it aint new!!

Nothing in this world surprises me anymore. What with this and reports in the papers this week that congestion in london is back to pre CC levels, whatare we to do. I havent had even a cost of living rise in 2 years and not due a rise until at least october.


Lucky i come in on the bike.

The congestion charge was never put in place to cut congestion though.
Wasnt it...then whys it called the congestion charge?

I know it was another thinly disguised form of road tax, but im sure that i remember reading/seeing that it was supposed to be to cut congestion.

[Flamin_Squirrel]

Remember, its not labour, and it aint new!!

Nothing in this world surprises me anymore. What with this and reports in the papers this week that congestion in london is back to pre CC levels, whatare we to do. I havent had even a cost of living rise in 2 years and not due a rise until at least october.


Lucky i come in on the bike.

The congestion charge was never put in place to cut congestion though.
Wasnt it...then whys it called the congestion charge?

I know it was another thinly disguised form of road tax, but im sure that i remember reading/seeing that it was supposed to be to cut congestion.

Yeah it is just another tax. It did cut congestion, for a while. But it was always there for making money - that's why they put the price up when more people than they expected found ways to get into London without paying it.

[creamerybutter]

Remember, its not labour, and it aint new!!

Nothing in this world surprises me anymore. What with this and reports in the papers this week that congestion in london is back to pre CC levels, whatare we to do. I havent had even a cost of living rise in 2 years and not due a rise until at least october.


Lucky i come in on the bike.

The congestion charge was never put in place to cut congestion though.
Wasnt it...then whys it called the congestion charge?

I know it was another thinly disguised form of road tax, but im sure that i remember reading/seeing that it was supposed to be to cut congestion.

I thought it was meant to be a congestion busting move but then I found out hybrid cars are exempt (or were), ok they may be greener but they are still the same size as a normal car.

Train fairs are stupidly high even on the local trains by me, £3.20 to go three stops all about 5min apart. I find it a joke that I can get to the continent cheaper than it would cost me to go to Edinburgh by train.

[thor]

I'm continually shocked by the bare faced cheek of this present government. I can't wait for the next election!

[Demonz]

I'm continually shocked by the bare faced cheek of this present government. I can't wait for the next election! :lol: They are all the same mate - changing them will only introduce another form of revenue generation. I would suggest moving country.

[Flamin_Squirrel]

I'm continually shocked by the bare faced cheek of this present government. I can't wait for the next election! :lol: They are all the same mate - changing them will only introduce another form of revenue generation. I would suggest moving country.

Well, other parties may be no better, but there is one way to make them improve: Instead of just accepting the current government because you know the others are just as bad, keep kicking government out every 5 years untill they realise we will not tollerate their incompetance.

[Rob S (Yella)]

The Train system is overcrowded and demand is increasing. So there is a supply and demand factor here. The Train operating companies know they can increase fares and still fill up the trains.

They want to put more trains on the lines also even though the track and signalling infrustructre is at its limit. More trains will mean more delay (but higher income) for the TOCS.

My bosses (I am a trainee signaller at kings cross) have been invited to meetings about putting more trains on the line and have told the train firms that more trains is counter productive but interfering ministers and Transport for London etc override the those that know best so soon there will be 10 more trains into Kings X in the peak in the near future.

Of course when it goes wrong Network rail and the poor old signallers will get the blame. Not the government or the train firms who know nothing about signalling systems.

[greeno76]

I don't need "enhanced services onboard trains" I just want to get to work without delays, cancellation and excessive cost.

And occassionally, just occassionally mind, a seat would be a bonus when you're paying extortionate fares and hemmed in the carriages in a way that it illegal for transporting animals.

Anyway, b*gger that. I cycle a 30 miles round trip everyday which is far more preferable to using crappy london transport.

Ahhh, that's off my chest. Back to work!

JG

[lynw]

When I read that I was under the impression it was to restrict people on cheap day returns adding to the overcrowding on commuter/rush hour services. As such a commuter by train now Im kind of understanding about it.

I cant complain though. Last trip to Edinburgh cost me a whopping £25 return. My season ticket for commuting in is now £2/day less than the petrol alone cost on the bike, let alone adding in the consumables [which is why a bike is dearer than most
people will really accept :wink: :P ].

I cant really complain about the Southeastern trains either. In the past four weeks theyve only been late once due to signal failure at Ramsgate.

[Sudoxe]

I'm continually shocked by the bare faced cheek of this present government. I can't wait for the next election! :lol: They are all the same mate - changing them will only introduce another form of revenue generation. I would suggest moving country.

Well, other parties may be no better, but there is one way to make them improve: Instead of just accepting the current government because you know the others are just as bad, keep kicking government out every 5 years untill they realise we will not tollerate their incompetance.

So did you vote yesterday then? :roll:

I voted loony since the 3 other major parties are just as bad and corrupt as each other. It seemed better than spoiling the paper.

Dan

[Demonz]

Well, other parties may be no better, but there is one way to make them improve: Instead of just accepting the current government because you know the others are just as bad, keep kicking government out every 5 years untill they realise we will not tollerate their incompetance.

My quip was that it wouldnt change the situation to change government. Like many others I continue to accept the current government because I dont have faith in a suitable replacement. Show me how our lives will improve by changing government and i will vote to do so just like you. Improve maybe - but you can be sure if we change that taxes will still occur along with government incompentence.

[Ping]

When I read that I was under the impression it was to restrict people on cheap day returns adding to the overcrowding on commuter/rush hour services. As such a commuter by train now Im kind of understanding about it.

**snip!!**

I vaguely picked that up but prefer to jump on the 'righteous fury' bandwagon. It's way more fun than reading it properly... :lol: ;)

[the_runt69]

Sorry after 30 years I have always been better off under the tories than labour. Labour dont tax you directly but prefer stealth taxes you dont notice until you really look.with thier scrapping of the NI cap I now pay somehwhere in the region of 50% on income above the higher limit threashhold. And theyre taxing your pension fund too and then saying they havnt enough to Pay pensioners so what are they doing with this money????????
Gordon Brown a taxer by stealth and a typical Scot is keeping enough in hand to hand out general election handouts without funding the services that require the money.
The tories arent any better. After years of being a Tory supporter have voted Green for the last few elections as a protest. it seems to work as the greens are gaining strength in Lewisham a typical Labour borough.
H

[lynw]

When I read that I was under the impression it was to restrict people on cheap day returns adding to the overcrowding on commuter/rush hour services. As such a commuter by train now Im kind of understanding about it.

**snip!!**

I vaguely picked that up but prefer to jump on the 'righteous fury' bandwagon. It's way more fun than reading it properly... :lol: ;)

:lol: :lol: :lol:

I cant do righteous fury if it means I dont have to put up with some people on my commute.

I am at a complete loss to why some bimbos think they have every right to dump their many shopping bags on a seat and complain when someone wants to sit down. Yet its plainly clear the train is packed. :roll:

I think people still dont realise that some of us are actually not doing too bad for public transport. My ticket costs me £9/day which is a whopping 7.5p/mile which is going to go down to about 7p/mile when Im eligible to claim for a yearly ticket . My GNER ticket cost me 3p/mile on average.

Or am I being too reasonable here? :wink: :P :lol:

[lynw]

Sorry after 30 years I have always been better off under the tories than labour. Labour dont tax you directly but prefer stealth taxes you dont notice until you really look.with thier scrapping of the NI cap I now pay somehwhere in the region of 50% on income above the higher limit threashhold. And theyre taxing your pension fund too and then saying they havnt enough to Pay pensioners so what are they doing with this money????????
Gordon Brown a taxer by stealth and a typical Scot is keeping enough in hand to hand out general election handouts without funding the services that require the money.

Erm actually thats the wrong way round.

Direct taxation is when its taken directly from your pay as PAYE or NICS. Indirect is such things as VAT, APD, IPT ie you pay when you buy something.

Traditionally, labour have always increased the direct and cut the indirect. Example of your NICS is balanced by the many things they have cut the VAT rate on.

The tories on the other hand are the sneakiest. They give you the illusion you have more money by cutting your direct taxes, yet they hammer you on the indirect because they know full well people generally do not know how much tax they pay on their purchases.

Examples are your cut in tax hammered home with Lamont raising the VAT rate by 2.5%, the introduction of Air Passenger Duty, Insurance Premium Tax, Landfill tax, Aggregates duty etc.

How things appear on the other hand is a different matter. I know how much labour have dropped the VAT rates on goods as that was my job for the past 13 years. But you cant see that. Equally I know how much the tories hammered on but cut the direct tax side.

End of the day, no matter what, if they cut one side, they will collect it on the other.
If they cut your PAYE, they collect it when you spend the extra money. If they cut the VAT, they collect it from your wages.

[Ping]

:lol: :lol: :lol:

I cant do righteous fury if it means I dont have to put up with some people on my commute.

I am at a complete loss to why some bimbos think they have every right to dump their many shopping bags on a seat and complain when someone wants to sit down. Yet its plainly clear the train is packed. :roll:

I think people still dont realise that some of us are actually not doing too bad for public transport. My ticket costs me £9/day which is a whopping 7.5p/mile which is going to go down to about 7p/mile when Im eligible to claim for a yearly ticket . My GNER ticket cost me 3p/mile on average.

Or am I being too reasonable here? :wink: :P :lol:

There are some selfish t*ts on the trains, I've been known to have a go at people before now... :lol:

The one thing I know is my travel card from South Woodham Ferrers, Essex to London's bright and shiny west end is costing me £318/month.
:evil:

I love riding my bike but sometimes the constant pressure to stay rubber-side-down in London traffic (SO many thoughtless numpties) gets too much. It got to the point where i wouldn't ride for fun on weekends because i spent so much time 'surviving' the commute during the week.

[lynw]

There are some selfish t*ts on the trains, I've been known to have a go at people before now... :lol:

The one thing I know is my travel card from South Woodham Ferrers, Essex to London's bright and shiny west end is costing me £318/month.
:evil:

I love riding my bike but sometimes the constant pressure to stay rubber-side-down in London traffic (SO many thoughtless numpties) gets too much. It got to the point where i wouldn't ride for fun on weekends because i spent so much time 'surviving' the commute during the week.

I was :shock: for a minute there then I sussed thats probably because you have a travelcard. Mines now just a London BR return. Its quite scary how much the tube/bus adds onto a ticket.

[northwind]

Are they there for a service or to make money?


To make money! That's the entire point of privatisation. If you want total control of something, you don't sell it, you run it yourself. The rail network privatisation didn't put enough controls on the companies, and now we pay the price. Add to that that Labour lack the conviction or the desire to do anything but let the companies do what they want, and you have a problem.

There's nothing automatically wrong with charging what the market will bear, IMO- if you have only so many seats, and many more customers, then why not raise prices if you can't raise capacity? But it seems like capacity's been cut!

[Abyss]

How can they keep saying "USE PUBLIC TRANSPORT" and then keep putting the prices up?!

Ive been in london for a year and 8months and the price of travel has gone up 3 times with ZERO noticable improvment of trains / busses / delays etc.

[northwind]

Ive been in london for a year and 8months and the price of travel has gone up 3 times with ZERO noticable improvment of trains / busses / delays etc.

Maybe the price rises just stop it getting worse? Or maybe they go into a director's pocket. Hard to say...

[Abyss]

but it does get worse, trains are refurbed or replaced.. they just keep getting more and more used and more and more crowded :P

[Peter Henry]

Ping...The odd strategic emission of stomach gas is I believe the perfect way to get one's own back on any obnoxious fellow traveller on a packed train. Especially if once the evidence is out in the open so to speak, you stare at the person accusingly. :wink:

[Abyss]

lol, may be amusing but doesnt make your commute better :P and just think what it would be like if you followed through :P

[Peter Henry]

Abyss...then the flavour just lasts that bit longer surely? :P

[northwind]

but it does get worse, trains are refurbed or replaced.. they just keep getting more and more used and more and more crowded :P

So maybe the fare rise is the only thing stopping it from getting even worse ;)