Labour launches ‘day of action’ with calls to nationalise trains in response to ‘disgraceful’ 3.1% fare increase for 2019 Jeremy Corbyn said that the fare hikes were a ‘disgrace’ and blamed the government for prioritising ‘the profits of a few’

Labour has described a 3.1 per cent increase in rail fares as a “disgrace” as the party called for a day of protest outside stations across the country.

Jeremy Corbyn said in a video message that the hike in fees, which will see many season tickets increase by more than £100, was “a disgrace and a shame”.

“Our railway system should work in the interests of everybody not just for the profits of a few,” he said. “And it’s the Government who has decided on this price increase – that is why Labour is campaigning around the country.”

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The Labour leader joined other MPs, rail union leaders and campaigners with a “day of action” at picket lines outside stations, with protesters calling for the network to be brought back into public ownership.

Today the latest Tory rail fares increase kicks in. This time by more than 3% – meaning they've now risen by 36% since 2010. It's disgraceful. We're campaigning to bring our railways into public ownership so they work for the many, not the few. #railfares #backtowork pic.twitter.com/atFEyND22I — Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) January 2, 2019

£100 increase

The cost of many rail season tickets will increase by more than £100 due to the increase in fares on Wednesday.

The announcement was widely criticised by many rail users who have endured an average of one in seven trains delayed in the past year.

According to analysis done by the Press Association, the past 12 months was the worst performance since September 2005 due to a number of factors including extreme weather, errors in the launch of new timetables, strikes and signalling failures.

Shadow transport secretary Andy McDonald said passengers were right to be “furious” about rail fare increases.

Rail fares are up by 36% since 2010, having risen more than twice as fast as wages With punctuality at its worst in 13 years, today’s increases are an affront to passengers Labour will bring our railways back into public ownership and cap fares to stop above inflation rises — Andy McDonald MP (@AndyMcDonaldMP) January 2, 2019

Speaking on the Today programme, he said: “Year after year passengers are told these rises are there to improve services, but what do we see?

‘Furious’

“Utter chaos, overcrowded trains – they are, quite rightly, furious about the continuing hikes in rail fares. The real experience, not the promises, is, quite frankly, just scandalous.”

But Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said that it was trade unions who were to blame for the price increases.

“The reality is the fare increases are higher than they should be because the unions demand – with threats of national strikes, but they don’t get them – higher pay rises than anybody else,” he said.

“Typical pay rises are more than 3 per cent and that’s what drives the increases. These are the same unions that fund the Labour Party.”

Labour has pledged to return the railways to public ownership and called for prices to be frozen on the worst performing routes.