THE Green Party has called on the railways to be brought back into public hands as rail fare rises for 2014 come into effect.
The rise in rail fares sees season ticket holders paying an average of 3.1% more (1). The increase means fares are rising three times faster than wages for many commuters (2).
Natalie Bennett, Green Party for England and Wales, said:
"That a Which survey released on January 1 2014 indicates that trust in the rail industry is even lower than the financial sector shows that the public understands that our privatised system has failed.
“Now it's past time for the government to acknowledge the huge costs of privatisation; the Rebuilding Rail report put them conservatively at £1.2bn a year - a sum that could provide an 18% fare cut for all.
"We should bring the railways back into public hands, ending two decades of 'great train robbery' by the train operating companies.
“That's what Green MP Caroline Lucas's private members' bill calls for. Train travellers facing today's fare rise might like to ask their local MP if they're backing it."
Green peer Jenny Jones will be joining the End the Rail Rip-off protest (3) organised by Action for Rail at King’s Cross station this morning to show her support for the campaign.
1) http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/commuters-take-a-hit-as-rail-fares-rise-three-times-faster-than-wages-9033028.html
2) http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/commuters-take-a-hit-as-rail-fares-rise-three-times-faster-than-wages-9033028.html
3) http://actionforrail.org/end-the-rail-rip-off-join-us-at-kings-cross/