Manuel Cortes, leader of the TSSA rail union, accused the private train companies of trying to ‘bury bad news’ on New Year rail fare rises by releasing only the ‘barest details of the 5.9% increases’ on the day of House of Commons Christmas recess.
“Once again we have the private train operators defying all economic logic and increasing the squeeze on passengers during a recession.
“All other big companies, like Tesco and Sainsbury’s, actually cut prices during the downturn, even the BBC is freezing its licence fee.
“But they carry on with their inflation plus rises which will get even worse in 2013 and 2014 when passengers face RPI plus 3% increases.
“Philip Hammond said the railways were becoming a rich man’s toy. Well David Cameron seems determined to make that a reality over the next three years.
“The £4,000 annual season ticket for long distance commuters in the South East will be common place in January.”
He ‘did not believe it was just a coincidence that the increases, which excluded station car parking increases, were released on the day the House of Commons rose for the Christmas recess’.
