HS2

Rob   15/08/2017 at 12:00

Why is it that this monopolistic beast is allowed to break all the rules of the competition authority - for many there is no alternative to commuting by train and the terrible experience that many people suffer. Whilst I know this is not breaking any rules the rules are clearly wrong and do not act in the public interest - private companies continue to be rewarded for poor service and continue the blame game between themselves , Network Rail and the Unions . Part of the franchising bids should be to deal with these issues with severe penalties ( accessible for travellers through a simple recompense system) imposed for non performance regardless of who creates it - its called business risk !!! Instead we see constant reward to companies who clearly do not care about their "customers" no respond to their complaints as effectively they have a monopoly !

100Andthirty   15/08/2017 at 12:32

Rob - the monopolistic beast is the government as it is they that will allow the fares they regulate to rise, not the train operators.

Idris   15/08/2017 at 12:43

“Yet again, passengers, now majority funders of the railway" Seems fair to me. The majority of cost for me driving to work is carried by me as the passenger. I'm still not seeing why I should fund folk traveling to work by train?

Richard Putley   15/08/2017 at 16:46

Idris - if all the people who use rail had to use the roads, the country would grind to a halt! There just wouldn't be room for all the cars on the roads! That's why the government wants to encourage rail use. I think you'll find this is the same in all Western Countries

Taken Back Control   15/08/2017 at 17:57

So train fares are going up by the highest amount for 6 years because the inflation rate is the driver. And inflation has gone up because the pound is weak. And the pound is weak because of Brexit. Pay inflation is way below cost inflation so gradually everyone is getting poorer. But who cares? We have taken back control.

James Palma   15/08/2017 at 19:53

The cost of transport should be paid by everyone. My getting on a train here in London sees me contribute to employment in and around London. When I get to my destination I contribute to employment at that location. While roads contribute less to employment the user still has an input to the overall economy.

Tothehills   16/08/2017 at 09:35

Idris: Motoring is subsidized possible more so that the trains; it's just that you do not see it as a lot of the cost are covered by general taxation. So if you have an accident and someone is seriously injured the NHS picks up the cost and does not sue your insurer, likewise the policing of the roads and the cost of originally building and maintaining the roads is all through general taxation. So much is hidden from you and that is before we get into environmental costs and secondary deaths and illnesses.

J, Leicester   16/08/2017 at 10:20

Let's face it - the only reason fares continue to rise above inflation is in a desperate attempt to claw back some of the massive losses incurred by Network Rail's constant stream of over-schedule, over-budget works. It's face-saving from the DfT, because they've failed to keep infrastructure costs under control. If this is what it costs us to keep the current network improvements on-track (excuse the pun), god forbid what will happen once the HS2 ball gets rolling and inevitably hits delays and contract overspends.

Jerry Alderson   16/08/2017 at 20:44

Can the DfT really claim that "the government was investing in the biggest rail modernisation programme for over a century to improve services for passengers and providing faster and better trains" just after axing much of the electrification programme that was intended to "modernise" the railway, "improve services for passengers" and provide "faster and better trains"? By the way, it isn't only Transport Focus that is calling for CPI rather than RPI to be used as a basis for fare increases. Railfuture has been doing so for a decade.