Last month I bought a monthly ticket from Mill Hill to City Thameslink (Blackfriars is currently closed). It cost £96. Today I bought a new one and it cost £102.60. That's around a 7% rise.
So how is this justified?
Is the service better? No it's worse because there are constant engineering works. If I want a late train, I can't even get on one at City Thameslink and Blackfriars is shut. For much of December the service was on emergency timetables due to bad weather. The work will go on for years.
Are there more trains? Nope
DO I feel ripped off? Yes
Perhaps Theresa Villiers (Transport Minister) would care to write a guest post!
ReplyDeleteIt seems that railway maintenance in the UK often costs up to 60% more than on the continent, which is, of course, then reflected in fares.
The government has had a inquiry to discover why, but I've no idea if Theresa can tell us the result.
How much better you ask Rog?
ReplyDeleteMinus -14% I'd say........ I thought First Crapital was bad when I was a commuter, but having used it recently I can only feel angry for those who use it on a daily basis now. it's pants.
how strange I find it that whilst Fares are Rising, the western end of the Congestion Charge is scrapped, the area where many of Londons rich live. Hey Boris, who are you looking after?
Ainelivia,
ReplyDeleteSharp as a Google Satellite! the little things that our political experts fail to pick up on -- Boris and the Conservative DNA!