Huge hike in London to Brighton rail fares (From The Argus)
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Huge hike in London to Brighton rail fares
1:32pm Tuesday 23rd November 2010 in News
Train tickets from Brighton to London will rise by as much as 10.8% in January.
A Brighton to London season ticket on Southern rises 7.76% in January, going up from £3,556 to £3,832, while an Eastbourne to London season ticket increases 7.77% to £3,940.
Some off-peak Brighton to London day returns will rise 10.18% to £24.90 in January.
A weekly First Capital Connect season ticket from Brighton to London will rise from £77.60 to £80, and an annual ticket from £3,104 to £3,200 (3.1%).
A spokesman said: "First Capital Connect will continue to offer the cheapest prices for travel in and and out of London."
The Association of Train Operating Companies (Atoc) says nationally, fares will rise by an average of 6.2%.
Campaign for Better Transport's public transport campaigner Alexandra Woodsworth said: "These astronomical fare rises make a mockery of the Government's commitment to fair pricing for rail travel.
"Season tickets will cost hundreds of pounds more in the new year, and thousands of pounds more by the time of the next election.”
Gerry Doherty, leader of the TSSA rail union, said the rise was "simply outrageous".
Under the current annual price cap formula, fares can only increase each January by the previous July's RPI inflation rate plus 1%.
This means that in January 2011, regulated fares will rise by an average of 5.8%.
But this year, the Government has reintroduced the flexibility rule, which gives operators a 5% leeway on this, as long as overall the average rise nationally adheres to the cap.
And further misery will await passengers in January 2012 when the annual price rise formula changes to RPI plus 3% across the network.
Atoc chief executive Michael Roberts said today: "We know times are tough for many people but next year's fare increases will ensure that Britain can continue investing in its railways.”
He added that taxpayers still contributed to half the cost of running the railways.
Earlier this week, an objection from First Capital Connect led to the rail regulator scrapping plans for better Southern services between London and Brighton.
What do you think? Leave a comment below, or join our Save our Service campaign by joining our Facebook group or tweeting using the hashtag #bricom.
Comments(22)
creativebloke
says...
1:59pm Tue 23 Nov 10
And don't think I haven't noticed your new site design makes claiming delay repayment 100% more irritating as your 'new' website refuses to save your details like your old one did.
I hate you First Capital Connect, I really hate you!
Nand I h
Fercri Sakes
says...
2:40pm Tue 23 Nov 10
Paul47
says...
3:03pm Tue 23 Nov 10
48p in every £1 goes to Network Rail, which charges operators to access tracks and other infrastructure costs
17p on staff
17p on miscellaneous costs including train maintenance, administration, contractors
11p on leasing trains
4p on fuel/energy
3p to train company profit
So, the government owned Network Rail actually takes 15 times as much from fares in comparison to the profit for the train company actually running the service. Interesting...
Nick Brighton
says...
3:26pm Tue 23 Nov 10
tim_actually
says...
4:39pm Tue 23 Nov 10
Colin Houlson
says...
4:44pm Tue 23 Nov 10
kkj
says...
5:23pm Tue 23 Nov 10
Paul47 wrote:Or to put it another way, 48p goes to Network Rail and 52p goes to the train company, of which 3p is profit. If you can show that Network Rail takes a greater profit than the operating company then that might be interesting...
Interesting figures from another news website to show where the money from fares actually goes. 48p in every £1 goes to Network Rail, which charges operators to access tracks and other infrastructure costs 17p on staff 17p on miscellaneous costs including train maintenance, administration, contractors 11p on leasing trains 4p on fuel/energy 3p to train company profit So, the government owned Network Rail actually takes 15 times as much from fares in comparison to the profit for the train company actually running the service. Interesting...
chipmunk77
says...
5:43pm Tue 23 Nov 10
Costs me more than that to run a car in insurance, fuel, road tax, repairs, and depreciation for my 80 mile round trip!
Mind you, at least I have a seat unlike a lot on the trains these days, and nobody sat with a can of Special Brew in the next seat!
youpayme
says...
6:20pm Tue 23 Nov 10
Angryoldman
says...
6:40pm Tue 23 Nov 10
Nothing! thats what.
SirLancelot
says...
7:37pm Tue 23 Nov 10
ghost bus driver
says...
8:36pm Tue 23 Nov 10
Bristol VR
says...
9:04pm Tue 23 Nov 10
TheInsider
says...
9:42pm Tue 23 Nov 10
You can't blame foreign owners of UK energy companies from ripping off the British. We were mugs.
We've even taken to selling off our football clubs and a beach in Newhaven.
How much for the Royal family? I hear fergie has a price.
deve
says...
10:02pm Tue 23 Nov 10
Bristol VR
says...
10:18pm Tue 23 Nov 10
To have public transport, you have to pay for it. If you don't like tax rises then accept a train fare rise instead!
Metro Reader
says...
11:10pm Tue 23 Nov 10
The figures quoted are for London Terminals, such as Victoria, AND London Bridge etc etc. But the Argus hacks do not care about reporting anything either accurate or meaningful.
For the record, I object to paying even more to get to the office and get a decent wage, but I want it reported correctly and without any over the top rubbish reporting, which takes away the scandalous cost of getting to and from work.
pun master
says...
7:42am Wed 24 Nov 10
Metro Reader wrote:Get a life, get a job nearer to where you live, and stop moaning about rail fares. You've had it subsidised for too long by the rest of us, so it's payback time...
Oh argus one wishes you would actually just for once give meaning to your sensational headlines. When you give figures, please explain them. I get the train to Victoria each working day, that’s Monday to Friday for the argus hacks, which costs £3200 and a few pounds PA. The figures quoted are for London Terminals, such as Victoria, AND London Bridge etc etc. But the Argus hacks do not care about reporting anything either accurate or meaningful. For the record, I object to paying even more to get to the office and get a decent wage, but I want it reported correctly and without any over the top rubbish reporting, which takes away the scandalous cost of getting to and from work.
David523
says...
10:54am Wed 24 Nov 10
Time to show how you feel
STRIKE AND PROTEST!!!!
ultiali
says...
1:43pm Wed 24 Nov 10
David523 wrote:Wrong!!! Those new rules don't come in until 2012. The high rises are due to the high RPI figure in July last year, caused by the Labour Government
this is the fault of the CONSERVATIVE and Lib Dem government who changed rules to allow this. Time to show how you feel STRIKE AND PROTEST!!!!
David523
says...
4:37pm Wed 24 Nov 10
Aha ha ha, a ha haa ha!! You actually believe that load of Tory spin! Takes all sorts I suppose...
kraftwerker says...
1:56pm Tue 23 Nov 10