in

General election: Labor to cut rail fares by up to 75% – The Independent, Independent

General election: Labor to cut rail fares by up to 75% – The Independent, Independent


                                                                                                                                          

Up to three-quarters offtrain faresand free travel for under – 16 s – that is Labor’s promise to rail passengers if elected.

                                                                                                                                                                                                          

An across-the-board 33 per cent cut in regulated fares would take effect from January 2020, replacing the planned 2.7 per cent increase announced by train operators. *****                                                                                                                                                                                                              

In addition, a crucial change in pricing for rush-hour tickets would see some fares fall by as much as 76 per cent.

                                                                                        

  

Download the new Indpendent Premium app

  

Sharing the full story, not just the headlines

  

                                                                                                                                                                        

Regulated fares include season tickets on most commuter journeys, peak-time tickets around major cities and some off-peak return tickets on long-distance journeys.

                                                                                                                                                                                                             

These cover around 45 per cent of fares. Other fares, including advance and off-peak single tickets, are unregulated.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    

        

leftCreated with Sketch.        rightCreated with Sketch.

    

                                                                                                                         

(TheLabor Partysays the plan would save the average commuter £ 1, 097 annually and “tackle the crisis of unaffordability on the railway.”                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

Andy McDonald, the shadow transport secretary, said Britain has “one of the most complex, exploitative and expensive ticketing systems in the world” as a result of privatisation.

                                                                                                                                                                                                          

He said: “Labor will scrap the bewildering and outdated fares and ticketing system that discriminates against part-time workers, discourages rail travel and excludes the young and low paid.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

“Labor is on the side of passengers, which is why we will introduce a simpler, fairer and more affordable system for all.

                                                                                                                                                                                                          

“Labor will deliver a railway in public ownership for the many, not the few.”

                                                                                                                                                                                                          

His party’s most radical proposal is to cut the cost of single peak fares to one-tenth of the cost of a one-week season ticket. On a journey such as Brighton to London Victoria, the effects would be dramatic.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

At present the peak single fare is £ 27. 50. Once the one-third nationwide cut is applied, a weekly season ticket will cost £ 75 – making the new single fare just £ 7. 50. The £ 20 fare cut represents a saving of 73 per cent.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

A Durham-Newcastle peak ticket, currently £ 7. 50 one way, would cost only £ 1. 70, representing a reduction of 76 per cent. Between Liverpool and Manchester, the current £ 15 anytime fare would fall to £ 3. 95 – a fall of 74 per cent. From Bath to Bristol, the £ 9 peak fare would be cut by 69 per cent to £ 2. 85.

                                                                                                                                                                                                          

At present children aged 5 – 16 pay half-fare; under Labor, they would travel free. It is not clear what would happen to holders of Family & Friends railcards, which confer discounts for adults traveling with children.

                                                                                                                                                                                                          

In its manifesto, published 10 days ago, the party promised to make rail fares “simpler and more affordable” – as well as renationalizing the railway.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

A spokesperson for the Rail Delivery Group, which represents train operators, said: “Rail companies have been calling for some time for changes in regulation to enable an easier to use, better value range of fares, but it’s a red herring to suggest that reforming fares needs a change of ownership.

                                                                                                                                                                                                          

“Overall fare levels will always be a matter for elected politicians in deciding the balance of fare-payer and taxpayer funding.

                                                                                                                                                                                                          

“Train companies would obviously support a reduction for passengers as long as it is funded on an ongoing basis so that investment to improve the railway can continue.”

                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

Rail expert Mark Smith, founder of the Seat 61. com website, said: “The maths is the same whether privatised or nationalized.

                                                                                                                                                                                                          

“The government needs to replace the drop in revenue with the same amount in extra subsidy, not just to cover the revenue shortfall from regulated fares, but also from unregulated fares, which will also be impacted, and for any costs in dealing with the resulting overcrowding.

                                                                                                                                                                                                          

“The question is where the money will come from, and whether this is the best use of what funds are available.”

                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

The transport secretary, Grant Shapps, called the fare cut “another desperate attempt from Labor to distract from their inability and unwillingness to be straight with people on where they stand on Brexit”.

                                                                                                                                                                                                          

The Conservatives have promised an end to “the complicated franchising model” devised by John Major’s government in the 1990 s, but have recently awarded a new franchise on the West Coast main line to a consortium involving FirstGroup and the Italian state railway.

                                                                                                                                                                                                          

Labour’s other proposed changes include simplifying rail fares, creating “islands” around cities where zonal fares would apply and having a centralized point for digital ticket sales.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

The party estimates the cost of its fare-cut proposals to be £ 1.5bn. It says the shortfall will be made up from Vehicle Excise Duty.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    

        

leftCreated with Sketch.        rightCreated with Sketch.

    

                                                                                                                         

But with some fares cut by almost three-quarters, train operators would need to cut unregulated prices sharply – or see passengers switching to regulated fares.

                                                                                                                                                                                                          

The Independentcalculates the fall in fare take, assuming no increase in passengers, would be around £ 4bn. However, this would be offset by a surge in demand for rail travel as travelers shifted from road and air to rail or made more discretionary journeys.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

It is not clear how the increase in passenger numbers, which would be most pronounced on rush-hour journeys, would be accommodated.

                                                                                                                                                                                                          

Nor has Labor said how it will meet the extra cost of staffing trains. The party has pledged to end driver-only operation of trains, as theRMT unionhas demanded.

                                                                                                                                                                                                          

The fares announcement was made as the longest and most damaging UK rail strike in decades begins.

                                                                                                                                                                                                          

Members of the RMT working forSouth Western Railway(SWR) will stop work throughout December – apart from election day on 12 December, and Christmas Day and Boxing Day when no trains will run.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

The strike is the latest in a long-running dispute over the role of guards.

                                                                                                                                                  

SWR runs trains to London Waterloo, Britain’s busiest rail station, from southwest London, Surrey, Hampshire, Berkshire, Wiltshire, Dorset and Devon.

                                                                                                                                                  

The train firm hopes to run about half its normal services.

                                                                                                                                                                     

Brave Browser
(Read More)
Payeer

What do you think?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings

Climate crisis: what is COP and can it save the world? – The Guardian, Theguardian.com

Climate crisis: what is COP and can it save the world? – The Guardian, Theguardian.com

Chinese factories post fastest growth in three years, but Ireland struggles – business live – The Guardian, Theguardian.com

Chinese factories post fastest growth in three years, but Ireland struggles – business live – The Guardian, Theguardian.com