The chief executive of the Association of Train Operating Companies has defended fare increases which average 6.2% and in some cases are much higher.

Michael Roberts said the rises were part of a government policy to make rail passengers pay a greater share of the cost than taxpayers.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12104087

The sad thing is it's probably true. Why should people who use the service be subsidised by those that don't?

However, the prices are already totally horrendous - especially at peak times. I'm sure with sensible investment and a better run system, massive savings could be made in the long term. It simply doesn't make any technical sense that road is cheaper than rail; but then I wonder if it really is. Perhaps the true cost of road travel is hidden.

At the end of the day, it all comes down to the horrendous government policies (continued by the coalition), and centred around PFI-style thinking (keep it off the books and out of the press where possible)... I'm fcuking glad I don't have to use trains

Well, if we're supposed to be encouraging the use of public transport...

But not at the tax payers expense. The coalition are happy to cut the tax payers burden at the expense of commuters. The problem will come when employees have to demand pay rises to cover these increases.

The largest percentage by far of tax payers money going into the public transport system goes to those who work in London. They already earn massively above the average wage in the rest of the country. There are people in London doing trainee general admin jobs that would be well below minimum wage most places, but taking home over £25K in London...

True but then any housing costs 4 times as much and the rail fares are high - so saleries have t be high to compensate

The project I'm working on should enable the line to give an hourly service, currently the service runs every two hours. However, the project is already a few million pounds over budget...
Couple that with weird railways laws (a driver can refuse to take a train if it is running more than an hour late, or if the drivers cab is too cold/hot) and it's no surprise railway fairs go up. Add to that the decision to make rail users pay more and I think it's a real turn off.

People in mid-Wales really depend on the train, it's much more convenient than road, but is as (or more) expensive, and it doesn't always run on time (though the line does pride itself in running some sort of service in most conditions). The railway needs to be modernised and streamlined.

As they say up here, there's the right way, the wrong way, and the rail way...

But is your standard of living as good as if you lived up north? Possibly not.

Just bought mine, its increased by £84 ..... a month. Which I think is actually the smallest % increase in the last 10 years.

How many more years before working in London becomes uneconomic?

Depends how much I can hike my prices by. shrugs.

And don't forget quality of life, which is slightly different.


This compounds the problem surely? Isn't it a self-feeding mechanism?

One has to disproportionately fund London in order to maintain the existing infrastructure as the load on the London system increases. This decreases the funding available and consequently the size, efficiency and penetration of the system in the provinces. This causes the provinces to be less attractive to business and pushes them towards the capital, which in turn necessarily increases the load on the London network and the cycle starts again.

IMO it's not that the heavy funding of London is wrong in itself; having London grind to a halt just because everyone else is moaning doesn't make sense. The problem is that the extra funding for London never comes from new money but from taking money from the rest of the network.

My preferred solution to the "London problem" is to nuke it from orbit. It is the centre of all that is corrupt and evil in British society, and a totally fresh start is the only viable option I can see. If not nukes, then a plague followed by a big fire.

However, I suspect opinion will be split as to whether this is really such a good idea.

I sort of agree with you. I just need plenty of notice so I can get further away.