Jeremy Corbyn: Rail fare hikes are ‘insulting’ to commuters

Jeremy Corbyn has hit out at newly announced rail fare rises, saying they are “insulting” to commuters.



New figures from Labour reveal the average commuter is paying £768 more for their season ticket compared to 2010 when the Conservatives came to power.

The analysis comes after it was confirmed regulated rail fares would rise by a further 3.2% in January - meaning they have risen three times faster than wages.

The fresh hike in ticket prices is linked to the publication of the ONS Retail Price Index, which the Government uses to determine the cap on annual fare increases for certain tickets.

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling swept away calls for a price freeze, saying that while the rises were "unwelcome" it was "not fair to ask people who do not use trains to pay more for those who do".

Labour said some commuters would be paying over £2,850 more than they were in 2010 - with some routes up by more than 50% in just eight years.

The highest increase the party found was on a Virgin Trains season ticket between Birmingham and London Euston, which will have risen by £2,874 since 2010 and now costs £10,902.

'INSULT'

Labour leader Mr Corbyn fumed: “Today’s train fare increases are an insult to everyone who has suffered from the chaos on Britain’s railways.

“The Government’s shambolic mismanagement of our railways has been a national embarrassment and they must now step in to freeze fares charged on the worst performing routes.

"Labour will take back control of our railways by bringing them into public ownership so they are run in the interests of passengers, not private profit."

PAY ROW

Mr Grayling also infuriated rail unions today by suggesting fare increases could be set to the lower CPI measure for inflation, but only if pay for their members was set by the same measure.

Labour’s Shadow Transport Secretary Andy McDonald said the call was a “kick in the teeth for passengers” and would let “greedy train companies off the hook again".

He said: “The amount by which train companies can raise regulated fares is the responsibility of the Transport Secretary. He has the power to enforce this, he’s just choosing not to.

“The Secretary of State has washed his hands of years of industrial action on the railway, saying it was the responsibility of train companies, but is now intervening over staff pay.

"At best this is a distraction technique and at worse a recipe for years of industrial action.”