Labour’s Shadow Transport Secretary, Lilian Greenwood MP, visited Wolverhampton to campaign against rail fare rises and talk with commuters and rail users.
The West Midlands region has some of the highest fare rises in the country with increases of up to 38 per cent on some fares since David Cameron became Prime Minster. The average fare increase in the West Midlands region is 27 per cent, two per cent above the national average increase of 25 per cent. The average cash increase on a season ticket in the West Midlands is £550 since 2010. One popular route – Coventry to London Euston has seen a huge increase of £1,700 on a season ticket since 2010.
Lilian was joined in Wolverhampton by Wolverhampton City Council Leader Councillor Roger Lawrence, Richard Burden, MP for Birmingham Northfield and Labour’s Shadow Transport Minister and all three local Wolverhampton MPs; Emma Reynolds, Pat McFadden and Rob Marris.
Lilian Greenwood MP, Labour’s Shadow Transport Secretary, said:
“Passengers in the West Midlands face some of the highest fare rises in the country. Commuters have been hit by staggering increases of up to 38 per cent and the cost of travelling to London on Virgin Trains has spiralled to over £10,000.
“Passengers were always promised that higher fares would pay for investment, but important electrification projects in the West Midlands are at risk as their costs continue to escalate. It’s clear that our fragmented railways aren’t delivering for hard-pressed commuters. Labour is the only party with a plan to reform the railways and put passengers first.”
Read more here: http://www.expressandstar.com/news/2016/01/05/watch-unacceptable-and-completely-unaffordable-mp-blasts-train-fare-increases/shadow-5-ts-04/