Thanks to Vicki Elcoate for this latest news from the Green Party. Ed
Some rail fares in the South East are over four times higher than for comparable journeys in mainland Europe – as the campaign to bring the railways back into public hands is back in the spotlight.
Private Member’s Bill
Brighton and Hove Green MP Caroline Lucas is due to lead the second reading of her Private Member’s Bill in the Commons this Friday (January 22) and South East Greens have been comparing train fares. A commuter with an annual season ticket from Woking to London terminals pays £3,080 a year for their 22 mile journey.
For similar length journeys and also for annual tickets, their counterpart in France travelling to Paris from the commuter town of Ballancourt-sur-Essonne pays £566.89; in Germany, Strausberg to Berlin costs £714.13 and in Spain Collado-Villalba to Madrid is £603.70 (all converted from Euros so may vary). Even the most expensive of those is more than four times cheaper.
SE train travellers getting a poor deal
South East Green Party Chair Cllr Jonathan Essex said:
“South East train travellers are getting a poor deal from privatised rail companies – with any profits steaming out of the window to shareholders, ironically including the national French rail company.”
Cuts could affect passenger safety
At the same time one of the privatised South East train companies – Govia Thameslink Railways Ltd – is proposing cutting 400 guard/conductor jobs from its trains, leading to fears of increased risks to passenger safety.
Cllr Essex added,
“In a bid to cut costs and make more profits, services are often poor and unreliable, as well as expensive, and now passenger safety could be compromised by a driver-only service on the Thameslink trains.
“Let’s support Caroline Lucas’ Bill and get rail back on the right track.”
