MSE News: Government to review train fares

Former_MSE_Helen

This is the discussion thread for the following MSE News Story:

"The Government will review rail fares to simplify the system, but it could lead to some price hikes ..."

Read the full story:
Government to review train fares

Gorgeous_George

It is not just the fares that need to be right.

Re-open many of the stations closed by Dr Beeching and the Tories in the 60's and more people would travel by train. The environmental benefit would be enormous.

GG

geordieracer

Gorgeous_George wrote: »

It is not just the fares that need to be right.

Re-open many of the stations closed by Dr Beeching and the Tories in the 60's and more people would travel by train. The environmental benefit would be enormous.

GG

Nice one gorgeous george. The problem there is that the majority of the lines that were closed have had the beds raised and also been built over. How would you attempt to reverse that without billions of pounds worth of investment - and then who is going to pay for it.

Yes fares need to be looked at but along, as the report says with a myriad of other things to make it work better.

Livingthedream

I think Mr Crow is going to have a hard time in the next few years safeguarding jobs and rail employee's working conditions as some of the reforms that the review calls for will mean jobs cuts/pay freezes.

Looks like the Tory's in one corner and the unions in the other, ding ding round one.

geordieracer

Livingthedream wrote: »

I think Mr Crow is going to have a hard time in the next few years safeguarding jobs and rail employee's working conditions as some of the reforms that the review calls for will mean jobs cuts/pay freezes.

Looks like the Tory's in one corner and the unions in the other, ding ding round one.

Its a very good point and it could be a battle that the unions lose in the publics eyes too as the public could be seeing that higher wages does = a higher fare paid so they will have to tread carefully.

IIRC this report was started under Labour or at the very end of the last government but im not too sure on that so dont quote me.

Rolandtheroadie

Network Rail cant cut frontline staff any more, next target will have to be middle management and office staff most of who wont be RMT members.

Livingthedream

scotsman4th wrote: »

Network Rail cant cut frontline staff any more, next target will have to be middle management and office staff most of who wont be RMT members.

At lot of Train companies have wanted to reduce staff numbers for a long time, but know the unions would hammer them, but now it's part of a government review it will be the green light for them; catering, train guards and ticket offices will be the first to feel the axe under the pretence of modernisation/complying with Mcnulty report.

As to Network rail that's one of the biggest expense that needs to be drawn in, the axe will have to fall there too. Unfortunately the economy is in a right mess, and now it's the railways turn to take its share of the financial pain.

geordieracer

scotsman4th wrote: »

Network Rail cant cut frontline staff any more, next target will have to be middle management and office staff most of who wont be RMT members.

Yeah but a lot will be with TSSA and even though they are normally weak when it comes to strikes and such they could flex some muscle..

Livingthedream

geordieracer wrote: »

Its a very good point and it could be a battle that the unions lose in the publics eyes too as the public could be seeing that higher wages does = a higher fare paid so they will have to tread carefully.

Ouch, glad you said that and not me, but just been on another forum where some members are comparing train driver to airline pilots and saying how dare people compare them to bus drivers, at that point I left.

But one thing is certain if it does turn nasty, then the Government and Train companies will use that issue of high wages to turn public opinion against the unions.

Rolandtheroadie

geordieracer wrote: »

Yeah but a lot will be with TSSA and even though they are normally weak when it comes to strikes and such they could flex some muscle..

I'll crack the jokes.

plumber2009

I hate the diffrent prices for rail travel. I have to constantly look online for the current price. Where if I know the price for a given route is "£X" amount then I can budget accordingly.

I would rather the prices be fixed and the best way to do this would be to scrap peak and off peak and replace with a fixed price. The price could be averaged out.

Prices are to expensive though. In some cases its cheaper to travel by car, Even with the high fuel price.
When I travel with a group of friends it is in most cases cheaper to travel by car than it is the trains, Where is the logic in this?