Train fares to go up?

Question

Are train fares going up because the train owners know that the financial companies in the cities will pay to get their workers to the office at any cost?

Answer 1

Train fares are rising for several reasons; all the people who work on the railways receive a pay rise each year; there has been a huge investment in new trains particularly in London and the South East and the frequencies of many services has been increased; the level of government subsidy to the railways is reducing each year. Also as well as paying 'Corporation Tax' as all companies do on their profits, the train companies under the terms of their franchise agreements, are required to pay 'premium payments' to the government each year.

Answer 2

All prices rise - it's called inflation. How does the train fare rises of about 5% compare with how the cost of petrol has gone up in the last 12 months? More than 5% I would guess. It's nothing to do with financial companies in the City - the fares rise will affect everyone who uses the trains. But I agree the privatisation in 1992 was completely daft - although, per the first answer, Branson only got two of the many franchises then offered and has just lost one of those.

Answer 3

Nope its because when the railways were privertised back in the 1990's it was rushed and now we have to pay for it.

Mind we have just rebuilt a £800, 000,000 station, and now Kings Cross Station is getting re-built costing £400,000,000, then theres London Bridge that is just about to be rebuilt along with Blackfriars & Farringdon costing a further £500,000,000. Then there is the Cross Rail project, Thameslink Project, then in Scotland there is the Airdre - Bathgate line that is getting built. Where does the money come from for all this re-investment & rebuilding??? Of course the answer is that it comes indirectly from the rail fares.

I hope that my answer helps.

Julian

Answer 4

It's all to do with the railways - a public service - being forced by successive governments to operate as a profit-making concern. In most other countries the railways are just that - a public service. They are funded from the public purse, everybody pays, but everyone accepts this and most people benefit.

I remember when rail travel was cheap and the Hobson's choice for people who couldn't afford cars. You went by rail because you couldn't afford anything else.

Now it's a luxury, ironically still used as a mass transport system because in mega-cities like London it's still the most efficient, while those who cannot afford cars are forced to pay at least as much for each rail journey as a car would cost (and I mean on-costs as well, not just petrol).

And yes, as another poster has pointed out, most rail passengers (including commuters) don't get their rail fares paid by their employers. The best you can expect from most employers is an interest-free loan for that annual season ticket up front.

Answer 5

Train Fares are going up to pay for infrastructure repairs & expansion which should have happened a long time ago.

Unfortunately, New Labour doesn't like Rail (they get less revenue per passenger than Road or Air), as said by the phrase "we'll fund the roads, but subsidise the railways".

Answer 6

No the fares go up, because the costs of Electricity, Fuel, Maintenace, Wages, Fines and all the overheads that are involved in running a Train sevice has risen so much as well.

Answer 7

Not really, the majority of train passengers are not usually paid to go to work they are paid when they get there. they are putting the fares up because they know that the 'greener' britain is getting the more they can exploit people.

Answer 8

They are going up because you all foolishly voted Tory in 1992, allowing Major to give the trains away to Branson who is interested in profit, not service.

PUG - adding more carriages sounds sensible enough but it is not always possible. Some of our smaller stations on local commuter lines cannot take long trains. The problem there is infrastructure, rather than train length. Lengthening the platforms and the trains in those cases is not cost effective, because after 0930 the trains will not be bursting at the seams, they will be 75% empty!

Answer 9

So much for the government encouraging the use of public transport!
It's now 10 years since 'NEW AND IMPROVED LABOUR' came to power you cannot keep blaming the Tories for how the Country is being run!
RoyS

Answer 10

Apparently, according to one news article not long ago, train fares are going up partly because trains are too full.

THEY ARE TRAINS!!!!!!!!!!!! How about adding some more carriages?