Steve Beasant

The Tories promised us that the privatisation of British Rail would mean cheaper journeys; however we will soon be paying more in real terms than we were in the days rail industry was under state control.

According to Times online season tickets and saver fares will rise next month by 6 per cent – cancelling out the price cuts of the early years of privatisation. John Major’s Government promised 12 years ago that fares would fall as a result of privatisation.

Geoff Hoon, the Transport Secretary, said last week that regulated fares were no more expensive in real terms than they had been when Labour came to power in 1997. However, the Liberal Democrats have found that the average regulated fare will cost 0.6 per cent more in real terms than in 1997, and on some routes the increase will be more than 6 per cent.

Over the next five years the Government is committed to increases above inflation each year until 2014. It wants passengers to pay 75 per cent of the cost of the railways.

Brian Mawhinney (now Lord Mawhinney), who was Transport Secretary at the time of the privatisation, pledged that private rail companies would offer cheaper tickets and better value for money.

Unregulated fares, which include peak singles and returns and are set by the train companies, will rise by 7 per cent in January. That increase will make them 35 per cent more expensive in real terms than in 1997.

Shadow Secretary of State for Transport, Norman Baker said: “It makes a mockery of any claim to a climate change strategy to push up the cost of low-carbon travel.”