Passengers are paying over the odds, often for substandard services - McDonald

Andy McDonald MP, Labour’s Shadow Transport Secretary, responding to the new national rail passenger survey published today, said:

“The latest National Rail Passenger Survey shows that passengers are paying over the odds, often for substandard services.

“With fares up by 32% since the Tories came to power, it is little wonder that only a third of commuters find their journeys to be value for money.

“Chris Grayling bailed out a failing private train company to the tune of £2bn at the same time as implementing the steepest fares hike in 5 years, de-staffing trains and pulling promised investment. It’s clear that the Tories have the wrong priorities for the railway.

“Labour will bring our railways back into public ownership so that they are run in the interests of the many, not the few.”

Ends

Notes to editors

• ·         National rail passenger survey, Transport focus, http://d3cez36w5wymxj.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/29201549/National-Rail-Passenger-Survey-%E2%80%93-NRPS-%E2%80%93-Autumn-2017-%E2%80%93-Main-Report.pdf  
• ·         Value for money of the price of your ticket – 47% (page 7)
• ·         Availability of staff on trains - 45% (page 7)
• ·         How well train companies deals with delays - 38% (page 7)