• Fares likely to increase 5.8% next year under RPI plus 1% rule

• Passenger watchdog fears higher price hikes will be allowed

Graeme Wearden

guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 17 August 2010 15.26 BST

Rail passengers face the threat of 10% fare rises next year following the publication of July’s inflation data today.

The retail prices index (RPI), which is used to set many rail fares, rose by 4.8% last month compared with a year ago. Under the current rules, train operators can raise fares by one percentage point more than July’s RPI figure, suggesting that fare increases of 5.8% are likely in 2011.

But passenger groups and unions, believe the government is poised to change these rules to allow companies to raise prices by significantly more — suggesting that ministers intend to cut the rail industry’s £5bn annual subsidy and force firms to raise more money through ticket revenue.

Transport secretary Philip Hammond has inflamed the row by refusing to confirm that the current RPI plus 1% rule will be implemented as usual, and there are fears that tickets could be allowed to rise by as much as 3% above inflation.

Passenger Focus, the train customer watchdog, is also worried that Hammond may give train operators the flexibility to increase some fares by more than the official cap, as long as other tickets rise by less. His predecessor, Lord Adonis, had pledged to clamp down on this practice this year. If it was allowed to continue, then operators could raise certain fares by a maximum of 5% over RPI – or nearly 10%.

“In the past, the average fare rise has masked increases on some routes of 10% or 11%,” said Ashwin Kumar, Passenger Focus rail director. “We hope the government continues to limit train companies’ flexibility so passengers on some routes don’t face double digit rises.

“Our research has shown that passengers in Britain already pay some of the highest commuter fares in Europe. For example, an annual season ticket for a journey such as Warrington to Manchester costs 60% more than an equivalent journey into Paris. Just because you can increase fares, does not mean you should – this is a time for restraint.”

The RPI formula is used to set season ticket prices, as well as certain off-peak fares, and accounts for roughly 40% of all fares.

Southeastern Trains, though, is already allowed to raise prices by 3% more than RPI to pay for improvements such as the new Javelin train. Its passengers, who travel between London and Kent or East Sussex, can already expect fares to go up by 7.8% in 2011.

The government is not due to announce its decision on rail fares until October, when the comprehensive spending review is published.

With wage rises still lagging behind inflation, Kumar said it was important for train operators to show restraint.

“Now is not the time for train companies to sweat passengers off the train,” he said.

The issue is politically sensitive for the coalition government, as the Liberal Democrats’ election manifesto included a pledge that rail fares would be capped at RPI minus 1%. The TSSA transport union argues that the deputy prime minister should stick to this ambition.

“Nick Clegg will let down millions of rail passengers if he fails to stop these unfair fare rises in the middle of a recession,” said Gerry Doherty, head of the TSSA.

Yesterday, Hammond warned passengers that 2010 was not a normal year. “The scale of the financial crisis that we have inherited means that we will have to make some tough decisions in the spending review which concludes this autumn,” he said.

A spokesperson for the Association of Train Operating Companies said: “Train companies understand that these are tough times for many. The government is currently reviewing its position, so we will need to wait and see what happens.

“With demand for rail travel expected to double within the next 20 to 30 years, it is vital to sustain investment and the money raised from fares will make a significant contribution to improving services for passengers.”

xref Inflation story, City

guardian.co.uk © Guardian News and Media Limited 2010

Is this another example of Northern customer care?  Perhaps they are not aware that they only run trains once an hour to  Manchester, and an hour is a long time to wai when you have just finished a10 hour day in Leeds.

But who needs public transport when you could travel by car.

TB

13 7 10

Bus and rail users face ‘unwelcome consequences’, says transport minister

• £15.9bn Transport budget will have to be cut by at least 25%

• Environmental groups call for cuts in £6bn road building project

Dan Milmo

The Guardian, Monday 12 July 2010

Rail passengers, bus users and motorists have been warned that Britain’s transport system will suffer “unwelcome consequences” from public spending cuts of up to 40%, according to the Liberal Democrat transport minister, Norman Baker.

The Department for Transport has been asked to find cuts of between 25% and 40% to its £15.9bn budget before the autumn spending review, with the main candidates for the chop including the £5bn spent on the rail industry, followed by another £5bn a year for Transport for London and Crossrail, while environmental groups are calling for reductions in the £6bn road building programme.

Baker said achieving the cuts was “not impossible” despite strong protests from Network Rail and TfL that their cost savings programmes – launched long before the government was formed – are already cutting deep to the bone.

“I don’t think it is asking the impossible,” he said. But in a warning to commuters used to subsidized bus fares and motorists hoping for congestion-busting new roads schemes, he added that “nothing is safe”.

He said: “I think it will be difficult and will have unwelcome consequences. It is our job to mitigate the unwelcome consequences. We can ask for deferrals and ask for genuine efficiencies at Network Rail.”

Asked if Network Rail and TfL’s argument that they are doing enough already was acceptable, Baker said: “I always expect people in the transport industry to argue that their particular part of it needs protection. People will, inevitably, argue for their corner.”

In an indication that Network Rail’s £4bn annual grant will be under pressure, he added: “The department is very seized with the need to make Network Rail more efficient.”

Baker said the department’s capital spending programme, which includes the £16bn Crossrail project and the £6bn roads scheme, would probably not survive unscathed. The DfT’s capital spending plans have been limited to £7.4bn after a planned 1.25% annual increase in the budget was dropped – implying a cut in spending of £28.9bn this decade. Baker said: “I will be astonished if the entire capital spending programme we have got survives in its present shape. So there will be some disappointed people including, probably, ministers.”

The Conservative transport secretary, Philip Hammond, has in effect written off one of the Liberal Democrats’ key transport policies – reducing rail fares – by warning that the cap on ticket price increases might have to be lifted to lower the taxpayer’s contribution to rail fares.

Baker said “no decision” had been taken on rail fares but would not rule out an increase by his department. “The coalition document talks about fair fares. Nobody wants to put rail fares up. But we have got to come up with a package of measures which meets the requirement on the department to play our part in the budget reduction process.”

In an ominous reference to TfL’s annual budget, Baker acknowledged local authority concerns over the level of subsidy devoted to the capital, including its extensive bus network. “There is a feeling, justified or otherwise, that London gets a very good deal. If we are all going to have to take difficult decisions they have to be fair and not be seen to advantage one part of the country over another.”

Baker said the DfT was being forced to make unwelcome decisions because of a “fantasy” spending programme implemented by the previous government.

“It was callous electioneering. As someone who is regarded as being to the left [politically] I feel so angry. Labour’s policy of promising things it could not deliver was dishonest.”

Baker attempted to reassure bus operators that the department was not targeting the big five public transport groups – Stagecoach, FirstGroup, Go-Ahead, National Express and Arriva – despite intervening during a Competition Commission investigation by publishing a report that highlighted the sizeable profits generated by the groups from local bus networks.

Baker’s main responsibility as under secretary of state for transport are buses and regional transport. According to the Campaign for Better Transport, the bus industry receives more than £2bn a year from the DfT and the Communities and Local government departments. Baker said: “We have not got it in for them. We are driven by the need to ensure that the taxpayer gets a very good deal.”

Bus operators have been exercised by the threat of losing, or seeing a hefty reduction in, the £500m Bus Service Operators Grant. BSOG is under review and Baker has refused to guarantee its survival, although the transport secretary has expressed stronger words of support for the £1bn free bus scheme. “We are in favour of more people using buses.” He added: “But the bus industry has to understand that we are looking at every budget line because there is a spending review underway. Nothing is safe.”

guardian.co.uk © Guardian News and Media Limited 2010

The meeting exchanged views and information on problems on the Manchester Victoria to Huddersfield Line . The different groups intend to come together over the next year to produce a common programme for the development of rail services on this line, as much as the protection of existing services in the light of government restrictions on spending.

Passengers demand improvements at Slaithwaite and Marsden stations

Jun 3 2010 by Joanne Douglas, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

DIRTY trains and a PA system which broke after three days are just two of the complaints about Slaithwaite station from a local travel action group.

And now Slaithwaite and Marsden Action on Rail Transport (SMART) are demanding answers.

Tony Bowers said the PA system, installed on May 19 after a nine month absence had broken down just three days later.

He said improvements on the Huddersfield to Manchester Victoria service were needed urgently.

SMART are calling on Northern Rail to get moving on improving the station’s facilities for passengers.

Mr Bowers, of Slaithwaite, said: “It is significant that Northern Rail has, after an interval of some nine months, finally restored the PA system for passengers travelling from Marsden and Slaithwaite.

“The reconnection of the information tannoy on May 19 is to be welcomed, but the public announcement system only lasted three days. It had failed again by Saturday.”

He said the nine-month wait for passengers raised serious questions about the capacity of Northern Rail to fulfil its responsibilities of providing a service to the public. Last month the company won a two-year extension to its franchise to continue running after next September.

Mr Bowers added: “This information system is of considerable importance, not least because Northern Rail now appears to be cancelling regular weekday trains – currently those outside rush hour. “It is our experience that during the entire period of Northern franchise, not only have passengers been promised new rolling stock, but those travelling from Slaithwaite and Marsden have had to suffer the most broken down, ruined, leaking and dirty stock in the country.”

He said it was “frustrating” for people to be left waiting on the platform for a train that had been cancelled, but with no information telling them.

“We were told to call the train operator on our mobiles, but that’s a few minutes on a phone waiting to speak to someone – it’s not acceptable,” he said.

“When it’s an hourly service and people depend on it to get to work, not to be told if the train is coming or not, is frustrating.”

And he said the facilities on the West Yorkshire side of the service were poor in comparison to those in Greater Manchester, where there are platform ticket facilities and up-to-date display boards with information at stations.

Northern Rail secured a new deal after improving the punctuality of its services from 84%, when it took on the franchise in 2004, to 92% last year.

They say they have £100m for more and newer trains and to improve facilities at stations.

A spokeswoman for Northern Rail said: “We are aware of the ongoing problems with the PA system at Slaithwaite station and apologise for the inconvenience this is causing to our passengers.

“We have repaired the system several times and are investigating longer term solutions to provide consistent information to passengers.”

When asked, station officials said that there were posters warning everyone of the increases coming in at the same time as the new timetable on May 23rd.

Unfortunately, no-one questioned has managed to see one of these posters. Another official when questioned more closely said that he had read about the change in the Manchester Evening News, not a paper everyone reads in the Colne Valley.

SMART will be asking questions of Metro who presumably were responsible for agreeing to the increased fares and therefore advertising the change. What considerations were given to the ability of pensioners to bear the increased cost of travel.

But to go back to the real issue, and the increase of 42%. The fares for holders of the concessionary travel pass rose on May 23rd from 35p to 50p for a single journey and £1.00 for the return journey. This is now the standard fare within West Yorkshire.

At a £1.00, rail travel for pensioners is still extremely good value and many older people take good advantage of the travel across West Yorkshire to enjoy the variety of the area. But 42% without warning is a liberty.

Editor
26 5 10

Just in case passengers get excited about finding out when Northern Rail will run trains. Below we print a recent e-mail sent to us by a passenger together with the last known position of Northern.

Sent: Mon, 12 April, 2010 11:24:48
Subject: RE: Northern Rail – Reference NR/77891

Hello Northern Rail

I has been another two months without announcements at Marsden station. In
your email below dated 8 Feb you stated that you would keep in touch with
me regarding timescales and priority. I haven’t heard anything from you
since. If this is being discussed at the “highest possible level within
Northern” and is a “huge priority” I would have expected to have been given
an update by now.

To re-iterate, I first flagged this issue to Northern Rail on 4 September
2009. This is over 7 months ago. I have also made you aware that the
system had not been working for a number of months prior to this. So we’re
now looking at the best part of a year that this system has been out of
action.

Going back your email below, you state you were “much closer now to
resolving this problem” – given that this was two months ago, how close are
we now?

Regards
L

From Northern Rail Leeds,: February 8th 2010

Dear Ms W

Thank you for your correspondence, which was recently sent to Karen Toon
our customer relations manager and other railway managers within Northern
and Passenger Focus.

As you know we have responded to you previously regarding the issues of the
announcing at Marsden station, unfortunately despite putting in a temporary
fix at Marsden and other stations with Ditra the system is not currently
working and is unlikely to work in the short term.

There has been quite a significant business case put forward by our head
stations to the board of Northern, along with a proposed funding bid by the
Passenger Transport Executive who like ourselves would like to resolve this
matter for our customers.

Despite our best efforts the P.A system we have at the present time has
been deemed not fit for purpose so it will need to be replaced by a new
system that will be much more reliable and robust, although it has been a
very frustrating period we have been advised that we are much closer now to
resolving this problem in the longer term.

I regret that we cannot advise you of any timescales for the implementation
of the new P.A system at the present time, once we receive any further
information we will contact you and give you a priority update.

I can confirm to you that this matter has been discussed at the highest
possible level within Northern and his a huge priority, if we can be of any
further assistance please do not hesitate to contact me at anytime.

Thank you once again for your constructive comments on this important
issue.

Yours sincerely

Trevor Beevers
Customer Relations Duty manager,
Northern Rail
Leeds

March 24th 2010

Dear Candidate
RE: Rail transport issues affecting all constituencies between Huddersfield and Manchester

We are a local rail user group, working in association with other groups, who are campaigning to improve the quality and quantity of rail services linking Yorkshire and Greater Manchester/Lancashire, currently operated by First Trans-Pennine and Northern Rail (Train Operating Companies TOCs). We are writing to you, as somebody who, if elected, will be in a position to comment and act upon the issues that we have been addressing over the last few years. All prospective parliamentary candidates along the ‘Huddersfield’ line are in receipt of this letter, with identical requests for information and statements of intention.

The Huddersfield to Manchester line is a high use line, serving local commuter needs, longer distance intercity traffic and international aviation passengers. The timetabling and management of trains through the region, is, we realise, a complex business and speedily resolution of some issues is unrealistic. Moreover, as you will be aware, the UK is currently experiencing an increasing number of passenger journeys (20% in the North West between 1999-2005 according to a Network Rail report of 20071) and a number of options for the upgrading and modernisation of some routes are being considered by the current Government.

We note in particular, the recent Parliamentary Select Committee Report (chaired by Louise Ellman MP) that suggests the prioritising of investment in the ‘classic’ rail infrastructure above the rush for the much-publicised High Speed links.

“Capacity constraints on the classic network look set to worsen in the next decade and we must continue to invest to address these problems. After all, the majority of passenger and freight rail journeys will continue to be made on the classic network.” (‘Priorities for Investment in the Railways’, paragraph 71)

Moreover, the Select Committee noted that in the light of the Government’s proposals for ‘connecting communities’

“The Government should take a more positive and pro-active policy position to encourage local authorities to seriously consider these schemes and align them to regional economic and social objectives and strategies.” (paragraph 82)

Many of the suggestions made here, involve a commitment to improving the existing ‘classic’ infrastructures, including opening new lines and stations. This is consistent with many of the issues on which we have campaigned on for some time, the resolution of which are required in order to fully realise the vision of ‘connecting communities’ and providing an affordable, working and sustainable rail transport system.

Of particular prominence are the following passenger concerns:

the heavy toll that passengers must pay for crossing into another Passenger Transport Authority between Marsden and Greenfield (the Standedge Tunnel); (An off peak day return for this eight minute journey is £5.20, as of 15th March , 2010)
the continuing difficulty in purchasing a ticket if boarding at unstaffed stations, owing to the unwillingness and inability of train crews to collect fares. This has an impact on connecting journeys with other train operating companies who often take a harsh view of the absence of a ticket. Similarly, passenger statistics suffer with knock-on effects on future service provision as the TOC is unable to obtain an accurate picture of passenger numbers.
the quality and suitability of rolling stock to cope with passenger needs at peak times of the day (both of the aforementioned train operating companies struggle to accommodate the numbers travelling, and Northern Rail still continue to operate decades old units which are frequently in an unhygienic state). All the rolling stock used by Northern on this line was built between 1981 and 1984;
the suitability of some railway stations to cope with wheelchairs and prams (especially at unstaffed stations such as Marsden, Slaithwaite and at Greenfield for some of the day);
the lack of accurate information regarding train delays or cancellations via the tannoy system or real-time displays. Real-time displays are only available in the GMPTE area. Passengers travelling into Huddersfield from Manchester and Barnsley during the latter quarter of 2009 and first quarter of 2010 have experienced a total lack of current information because the tannoy does not work. Despite repeated correspondence, no adequate apology or explanation is forthcoming from Northern rail about this;
Despite attempts by the TOC’s to give themselves a clear corporate image, few passengers understand which TOC is responsible for each of the different matters that impact on those using the service (e.g. cleanliness of stations and trains, operation of tannoy system, cancellations, late running, overcrowding).

As a Prospective Parliamentary Candidate, we feel that it is important to ask you how you would respond both to the general issue of improving rail transport services, and to each of these specific issues as part of your future duties. As you will be aware, most of the Network Rail spending plans are for the period after 2014, and a new set of Franchise Agreements will be issued during 2012/13, the allocation of which must be informed by public experience and dialogue between agencies. The current Minister of State
has suggested that the new franchises should be 22 years in duration which may give the TOC’s greater encouragement to invest. But without consideration of current performance, passengers may be condemned to 22 years of more poor performance.
We should emphasise that all of these issues have been brought to the attention of incumbent Members of Parliament and local councillors of all political denomination, and that progress on these matters has been slow or non-existent. We welcome the opportunity to open a dialogue with you, to best assist the travelling public and to put appropriate pressure on those train operating companies charged with the responsibility of providing a public service.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Dr Jonathan Purkis
Secretary SMART

Please reply to the following address:
23 Hilltop Road, Slaithwaite,
Nr Huddersfield
HD7 5ES
E-mail. info@smart-rail.co.uk

Following action by Network Rail in the courts, the strike has been postponed until the  RMT union has had the chance to consider it’s options. Bob Crow, the union leader, has said that they will probably re-ballot their members once the issues raised by Network Rail in their court action concerning the union membership are resolved.

METRO has sent the following message about the potential rail strike next week

Rail Industrial Action

Network Rail signalling staff belonging to the RMT and TSSA trade unions
have announced that they plan to take industrial action from Tuesday 6
April 2010 to Friday 9 April 2010.

For further details please visit www.nationalrail.co.uk/dispute where
information from all train companies will be available in the event
industrial action takes place.

One really has to wonder if  SERCO and it’s partner company Netherlands Rail are fit for purpose. But perhaps the successor to Lord Adonis will have fresh ideas about how to run a railway. Meanwhile SERCO posts even higher profits in it’s recent accounts for the financial year 2009. The companies profits rose by 34% to £194.7 million.