Passengers being “ripped off” by rail companies

Tuesday, July 28th, 2009

A parliamentary report accuses train companies of exploiting passengers and taking advantage of the Government’s franchise system by raising fares at the worst possible time.

Though the UK is going through a recession and inflation is almost zero, rail companies have raised fares by more than 11% on some routes. They also make it very difficult for passengers to find the best-value fare deals, some of which are only to be found on the web and may take people hours to track them down.

The report, prepared by the House of Commons Transport Committee, also accuses companies of “back-door fare rises”, such as charging “prohibitive” prices for reserving seats. The committee’s chairman Louise Ellman MP said, “There is no point involving the private sector if companies can cream off the profits in good times, but leave passengers and taxpayers to pick up the bill when hard times hit.”

One suggested reform that was put forward was for the Government to grant longer franchises in order to encourage companies to plan for the longterm.

The report said the current franchising system – which it called “a muddle” – was not always serving the best interests of passengers. Furthermore the committee was concerned about not receiving full information regarding the financial stability of some franchise operators, many of which “may be struggling to meet their required financial arrangements without our knowledge”.

The general secretary of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) Bob Crow said that “people are getting ripped off” and “the companies always put their fares up by 1 to 1.5% above inflation”.

Bearing the brunt of these train company “misdemeanours” are, of course, the passengers, who already have much to complain about in terms of poor service – big fare increases, late and overcrowded trains, excessive difficulties in getting best-deal fare tickets, and now an additional charge for reserving a seat (first-class and season-ticket holders are exempt from this charge). 
 

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Not all councils fully embrace cycle hire scheme

Tuesday, July 21st, 2009

London’s mayor Boris Johnson is encountering opposition from two London councils to his plans for a bike hire scheme in the capital.

Camden and Westminster councils are objecting to elements of the scheme on the grounds that they would lose hundreds of thousands of pounds if profitable car parking spaces are replaced by bicycle stands.

In its initial phase, the cycle hire scheme, which is modelled on the successful Vélib programme in Paris, would see the introduction of 6,000 cycles on London’s streets by May 2010, with Londoners making around 40,000 cycle journeys daily.

The mayor, himself a keen cyclist, has pledged to spend £113 million on cycling this year, and to fund 66,000 new cycle spaces by 2012. He has welcomed the support of Network Rail, which has in recent months increased the number of bike spaces at its stations from 1,200 to just under 1,500. With the introduction of the scheme next May, people will be able to hire bikes directly from London stations.

While Transport for London (TfL) will pay for the installation of the cycle stands, London’s councils will not be receiving any compensation for lost parking revenue, which, according to Westminster and Camden councils, will amount to £420,000 and £126,500 respectively.

Such losses will hit particularly hard in the current economic climate, with cash-strapped councils already struggling with budget cuts and big increases in benefit payments. Westminster is also sustaining losses of £17 million from its investment in the failed Icelandic banking system, and for it to find an additional £420,000 would result in further cuts in services or jobs. As it is, the council is planning to axe 270 jobs in social care, accountancy and planning in order to save £10 million.

In refusing planning permission for some of the proposed sites, Camden and Westminster also complained that the bike stands would be too close to homes, would block entrances and could damage tree roots. There have also been complaints from residents about the loss of pavement space.
 
The scheme will have approximately 10,200 docking points (bike stands) spread over some 400 docking stations, which will be situated around 300 metres from each other. The docking stations will initially be located in the area approximately equivalent to fare Zone 1, with the aim of eventually enlarging the area and number of docking stations and cycles.

 

For press enquiries, please contact Peter Cooper on 020 7183 7247
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News provided by 24 7 Parking Ltd, a leading marketing services provider to the car parking industry in the UK, and a leading de facto marketplace for buyers and sellers, or lessees and lessors, of car parking spaces.

24 7 Parking carries out daily surveys of the national media to provide up-to-date news and commentary on UK transport.

Hellish temperatures to hit the Underground

Wednesday, July 1st, 2009

 

As temperatures in London are set to soar to record highs this week and next, and a severe heatwave warning has been issued by the Met Office, Tube passengers can expect to experience extreme discomfort on the trains and platforms. Tube operators have said they will be implementing emergency measures to help keep passengers cool, but at best such measures will be of limited practical help.

With the absence of any form of air-conditioning on the trains, conditions in the Underground will be intensely uncomfortable, and, if temperatures reach predicted highs of 45C (113F) in some parts of the Tube system, at dangerous levels for some passengers.

This is the first time that the Met Office has issued a heatwave warning since the system was brought in two years ago. The Office has warned that the UK could reach level four of the Heatwave Plan by midweek, rising from the current amber level two. That would signal a national state of emergency, with possible water shortages and greatly increased strains on the health service.

London and the south east will experience the highest temperatures in the country, expected to rise beyond 33C (91F) during the day and above 18C (64F) even at night. Temperatures will surge past these to reach sweltering levels on the Underground, and transport officials are giving passengers health advice to help them cope with the extreme conditions. This includes carrying water on all journeys and alerting Tube staff if they feel unwell or are struggling in the heat.

A spokesman for the Department of Health warned that the heat can be especially dangerous for the elderly and very young as well as people with serious illnesses. He said, “In particular, it can make heart and respiratory problems worse. In extreme cases, excess heat can lead to heat stroke, which can be fatal.”

It won’t be until next summer that Underground trains are fitted with air-conditioning. For now, it seems the only concrete measure London Transport can take is to move in 36 giant fans into ticket halls. On their part passengers can do little but heed the health advice and try to minimize their time spent on the Tube.

As summers get hotter, Londoners may find that instead of an umbrella they should always make sure to take a fan when they leave the house – decidedly low-tech, but a helpful aid for keeping cool.

 
For press enquiries, please contact Peter Cooper on 020 7183 7247
Email: info@247parking.com
Web: www.247parking.com

News provided by 24 7 Parking Ltd, a leading marketing services provider to the car parking industry in the UK, and a leading de facto marketplace for buyers and sellers, or lessees and lessors, of car parking spaces.

24 7 Parking carries out daily surveys of the national media to provide up-to-date news and commentary on UK transport.