Rail Fares: Call For Action On Anomalies

Rail passengers in England and Wales could miss out on a cheaper approach to ticket pricing being adopted in Scotland, Campaign For Better Transport (CBT) has claimed.

CBT said Scottish Government plans to freeze off-peak fares in 2014 and 2015 and remove some anomalies which would make some trips a third less expensive than in England and Wales.

The anomalies involve split ticketing - the buying of two or more tickets for a journey, rather than one.

CBT cited the example of an off-peak, walk-on single from Nottingham to Liverpool which costs £48.

However, purchasing singles from Nottingham to Manchester Oxford Road and then from Manchester Oxford Road to Liverpool Lime Street costs a total of  £33 - a saving of 31%.

A walk-on single from  London to Coventry costs £44.40.

Singles from Euston station in London to Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire and then Milton Keynes to Coventry total £31.70, a saving of 29%.

In both these examples, there is no need to change train.

CBT has written to Transport Minister Simon Burns demanding that the review of rail fares due this summer follows the Scottish lead in freezing ticket prices and removing anomalies where passengers can end up paying vastly differing sums for the same journey.

CBT chief executive Stephen Joseph said: "The rail fares review must follow the example set by the Scottish Government.

The changes could make train travel cheaper, campaigners say

"North of the border they are making rail travel affordable and simpler. That commitment should be matched in England and Wales, ending fares hikes and simplifying the frustrating and complicated way ticket prices are calculated."

"Straightening out anomalies will be more intricate in England and Wales than in Scotland, but this is no excuse for inaction.

"We expect the Government's fares review to set out a route to simpler and more affordable train travel."

A Department for Transport spokesman said: "We are working closely with the rail industry to address similar split ticketing anomalies south of the border, but it is vital to remember that due to the size of the network in England the issue is considerably more complex.

"Furthermore, Scottish taxpayers subsidise their railways to a significantly higher level, which if replicated in England would cost families hundreds of pounds more a year regardless of whether they used the trains or not.

"Our fares and ticketing review, due to be published early summer, will outline how we intend to make the system fairer for passengers overall."

Bob Crow, leader of the RMT transport union, said: "The whole issue of anomalies in rail fares is part of the legacy of privatisation of the railways.

"The variance in fares benefits no-one other than the profiteers from the train companies who are free to exploit the travelling public by sowing confusion and chaos.

"The only answer is public ownership under one integrated fares structure."

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