"189% rise in rail fares ridiculous" says Hunter

4.45.00pm GMT Thu 5th Nov 2009

Mark and the Liberal Democrat Transport Team are campaigning for lower fares and better services

Cheadle MP and Liberal Democrat Shadow Transport spokesperson Mark Hunter has condemned the steep rises in rail fares after figures released by rail expert Barry Doe showed that walk-on fares from London to Manchester have in some cases almost trebled since 2005.

The figures were released in the London Evening Standard last Tuesday 3 November showed that:

• The cheapest standard class walk on Off-Peak return fare in 1995 was £33.

• The cheapest standard class walk on Off-Peak return fare in 2009 is £66.10.

- This is a rise of 100%

• The cheapest First-Class walk-on Anytime return fare in 1995 was £134.

• The cheapest First-Class walk-on Anytime return fare in 2009 is £387

- This is a rise of 189%

Mr Hunter has condemned the escalating price of rail fares in Britain, and has been calling in Parliament for radical changes to the way the rail industry operates.

Liberal Democrat research has shown that Britain has the highest rail fares in England, with £10 taking you an average of 25 miles - the same amount that will carry you 512 miles in Serbia. In January of this year there was an average 6% increase in rail fares - roughly twice the level of inflation - despite the deepest recession since the 1930s.

Commenting, Mark Hunter MP said:

"Rail fares in the UK are an absolute rip off.

"Our fares are the highest in Europe, and too many of our trains are overcrowded and unreliable.

"We need a rail system that is less expensive, more comfortable, and above all we need to start putting our passengers first."