[News] UK rail fares to rise by 3.2%

[TomandJerry]

"Rail fares*will go up by another 3.2% in January, the government has confirmed, with the cost of some season tickets to rise by hundreds of pounds.

The figure is below the 3.6% hike in January this year, which was the steepest rise in five years, but continues the trend of fare increases far outstripping any rise in wages.

Rail industry*leaders said the fares were “underpinning once-in-a-generation investment” in the railways.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

Certainly more expensive on top of an already expensive railway - but government subsidies are low compared to other countries.

I made this post on another thread a few months ago - as a lefty I've always been vehemently in favour of re-nationalisation to solve some of the problems, but there are some interesting facts out there to suggest that privatisation has been a success in some metrics

View attachment 97435
Rail Passengers in Great Britain from 1829–2016

View attachment 97437
Rail modal share (rail's share of total travel) 1952–2016

More people than ever before using the railways. Although the uptick corresponds with privatisation, possibly more due to rising fuel costs, low unemployment and recovery from recession. But still

View attachment 97436
Rail fatalities per billion passenger-km in European countries

Britain has the safest railways in Europe

View attachment 97438
Real terms rail fares per passenger-km (1986–2012)

Costs haven't gone up as much as might think

View attachment 97439
Percentage of UK rail costs covered by subsidy 1986-2014

whilst subsidies are low, now that impact of Hatfield crash is out of the system. Train operating costs have reduced by 20% since privatisation

There's more jobs in the industry than before privatisation, more trains, more services, and apparently customer satisfaction (as of 2013) was highest in Europe

But something has gone wrong with the trains over the past four years

 

[RandyWanger]

The trains I commute in on are owned by the Italian government. My increased fare is going towards making their trains cheaper. Something has gone wrong somewhere for this to be allowed to happen.

 

[Ernest]

The trains I commute in on are owned by the Italian government. My increased fare is going towards making their trains cheaper. Something has gone wrong somewhere for this to be allowed to happen.

Tory privatisation

 

[deletebeepbeepbeep]

Does this surprise anyone? As predictable as the news that executive wages increased by 11% whilst everyone else's wage fails to match inflation.

The proletariat in this country get ripped off from pillar to post and this will continue to be the case without massive societal change

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

The trains I commute in on are owned by the Italian government. My increased fare is going towards making their trains cheaper. Something has gone wrong somewhere for this to be allowed to happen.

In my case it is French.

Good old John Major. And he even ****ed up the election bribe.

Any people wonder why we can't 'control our borders' and 'prevent terrorism'.

Sadly we vote for the governments we deserve. That's democracy.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Wouldn’t happen in Germany.

 

[worthingseagull123]

So glad I drive to work now

 

[beorhthelm]

British Rail is essentially subsidising European rail. British public are paying for it.

Deutsche Bahn, although a private company, operates six British train companies.

French state owned rail company SNCF is a majority shareholder in Keolis which operates the five South East rail companies.

4 British rail companies are operated by the Dutch government.

... and 1 rail company is operated by FS Italiane, of the Italian government.

It kind of feels like we're getting the piss taken out of us, doesn't it.

here's the question overlooked: if the UK trains are run by european companies, and the rail service those companies run in home nations are superior, how come they have so many problems running our services?

other question is a rhetorical one, how much do they actually make from UK rail? last time i checked only two franchises were actually profitable.

The trains I commute in on are owned by the Italian government. My increased fare is going towards making their trains cheaper. Something has gone wrong somewhere for this to be allowed to happen.

the fare increase reduces the subsidy from the general taxpayers.

 

[Chicken Run]

Does this surprise anyone? As predictable as the news that executive wages increased by 11% whilst everyone else's wage fails to match inflation.

The proletariat in this country get ripped off from pillar to post and this will continue to be the case without massive societal change

Totally agree, a mate of mine who comms to CW everyday was having a meltdown with the fare increases, it apparently is relevant that he earns close to 150k pa......

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

here's the question overlooked: if the UK trains are run by european companies, and the rail service those companies run in home nations are superior, how come they have so many problems running our services

Because they clearly don’t need to worry about running a good service. The government won’t do anything, the customers won’t do anything, so why worry?

 

[bha100]

here's the question overlooked: if the UK trains are run by european companies, and the rail service those companies run in home nations are superior, how come they have so many problems running our services?

other question is a rhetorical one, how much do they actually make from UK rail? last time i checked only two franchises were actually profitable.



the fare increase reduces the subsidy from the general taxpayers.[/QUOTE

JAN 2017

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/british-taxpayers-subsidising-european-train-9556521

 

[beorhthelm]

JAN 2017

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/british-taxpayers-subsidising-european-train-9556521

i recall the amusing advert. note the detail in there about £4.8bn subsidy in one year. sure there's a case for no profits for running the service, that doesn't mean there will be no annual increases or hide the fact rail is massively subsidised.

 

[Napper]

Vote tory get tory !

This will cause a few moans , maybe odd media article.

Then everyone will accept it like bitches.

Repeat yearly

 

[essbee1]

British Rail is essentially subsidising European rail. British public are paying for it.

Deutsche Bahn, although a private company, operates six British train companies.

French state owned rail company SNCF is a majority shareholder in Keolis which operates the five South East rail companies.

4 British rail companies are operated by the Dutch government.

... and 1 rail company is operated by FS Italiane, of the Italian government.

It kind of feels like we're getting the piss taken out of us, doesn't it.

Will this situation be allowed to remain when we leave Europe?

 

[beorhthelm]

Because they clearly don’t need to worry about running a good service. The government won’t do anything, the customers won’t do anything, so why worry?

would you have thought they would be better at running the service though, higher standards and all that?

 

[Husty]

Certainly more expensive on top of an already expensive railway - but government subsidies are low compared to other countries.

I made this post on another thread a few months ago - as a lefty I've always been vehemently in favour of re-nationalisation to solve some of the problems, but there are some interesting facts out there to suggest that privatisation has been a success in some metrics

View attachment 97435
Rail Passengers in Great Britain from 1829–2016

View attachment 97437
Rail modal share (rail's share of total travel) 1952–2016

More people than ever before using the railways. Although the uptick corresponds with privatisation, possibly more due to rising fuel costs, low unemployment and recovery from recession. But still

View attachment 97436
Rail fatalities per billion passenger-km in European countries

Britain has the safest railways in Europe

View attachment 97438
Real terms rail fares per passenger-km (1986–2012)

Costs haven't gone up as much as might think

View attachment 97439
Percentage of UK rail costs covered by subsidy 1986-2014

whilst subsidies are low, now that impact of Hatfield crash is out of the system. Train operating costs have reduced by 20% since privatisation

There's more jobs in the industry than before privatisation, more trains, more services, and apparently customer satisfaction (as of 2013) was highest in Europe

But something has gone wrong with the trains over the past four years

Your numbers re. subsidies and fares only go up to 2012. Not particularly relevant.

 

[sussex_guy2k2]

Vote tory get tory !

This will cause a few moans , maybe odd media article.

Then everyone will accept it like bitches.

Repeat yearly

So a state owned train service across the country, which will lead to increased taxation, which in turn hits a vast number of people that don't even use the trains is fair?

Let's be clear. There are massive positives and negatives to both a privatised and government owned public sector, so the politicisation of this thread is really neither here nor there as with either system it's still likely there would've been a price rise!

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

would you have thought they would be better at running the service though, higher standards and all that?

In theory yes.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

So a state owned train service across the country, which will lead to increased taxation, which in turn hits a vast number of people that don't even use the trains is fair?

Let's be clear. There are massive positives and negatives to both a privatised and government owned public sector, so the politicisation of this thread is really neither here nor there as with either system it's still likely there would've been a price rise!

Where do you draw the line with your thinking though? I have never had to use the fire brigade, I have never been in a hospital other than when I once had a minor cut on my head. In your mind am I being unfairly taxed?