28th August 2006

Rail passenger satisfaction about ticket prices has hit record lows. Stroud District Green Party is encouraging the commuting public to challenge their elected representatives on public transport costs.

Cllr Martin Whiteside, Parliamentary candidate for Stroud District Green party said: "The Office of Rail Regulation in its quarterly review has just warned that the long distance service operated by First Great Western that includes services from Gloucester, Cheltenham and Stroud had 'deteriorated' over the past 18 months and was performing well below the national average (i). Rail passenger satisfaction over prices has also hit an all time low yet earlier this year First Group's profits hit record levels (v)."

Martin Whiteside added: "The ticket system is so complicated with varying prices. Many commuters can't afford the hefty one-off cost of an annual season ticket and instead have to buy expensive tickets. Train operators could help by allowing passengers to phase the cost of annual tickets - and I doubt I am alone in being utterly unimpressed by the prospect of 5% rail fare increases each year for the next few years."

Martin Whiteside, who is a Stroud District councillor in Thrupp, said: "Between 1975 and 2004, rail fares have risen 70% in real terms and bus fares by 66%. By comparison, motoring costs have dropped by 11% (ii) - unsurprisingly our roads are filling up! The total costs of motoring are not actually paid by motorists: the extra money needed for all the costs associated with road transport is taken from general taxation. At present, this is a subsidy to car use, and road transport in general, of about £13-14 billion a year (iii). With every political party now accepting the impacts and threats presented by global warming, this is a particularly perverse use of our money. And it doesn’t have to be like this."

Martin Whiteside said: "In Europe good public transport has been achieved through political will. Do the two major political parties have the will to make motorists pay their full costs, a suggestion made the former London Transport Commissioner, Bob Kiley, on TV recently (iv)? If we do not tackle Gloucestershire's traffic burden, then increases in traffic congestion will continue to blight parts of our county every working day. It is time the government reviewed it's whole approach to transport. I would urge people to write to their elected representatives. We urgently need reform and fair fares."

Notes:

(i) See Guardian report:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/transport/Story/0,,1855530,00.html
(ii) The Guardian 18th August 2006:
http://environment.guardian.co.uk/travel/story/0,,1852981,00.html
(iii) Figures from Professor John Whitelegg, Green Party Speaker on Transport.
(iv) Channel 4  Dispatches  21st August 2006.
(v) See The Independent 18th May 2006:
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20060518/ai_n16368350