Transport Fares hitting residents

Cllr Tristan Osborne attacks Tories on fare rises pricing people from Luton & Wayfield off bus and trains

Fare isn't Fair

Cllr Tristan Osborne campaigning with Chatham residents at the bus station

As local Councillors we have been working with resident groups to oppse the £10m new open-plan bus facility and to campaign for more affordable and regular bus services.

We know from correspondence and conversations on the doorstep that buses in Medway do not represent value for money. This is confirmed by other transport organisations and from residents across the local authority.

As a result we spent Tuesday morning speaking to local people at Chatham’s new open-air bus station, to gauge views on bus and train fares increases and to support the campaign by Maria Eagle MP, to devolve more responsibilities for bus services to local authorities.

In addition to rising bus fares; residents will now have to pay over £5,000 for an annual season ticket to travel into London via HS1.

The average Medway train ticket into London Stations has risen by 6.0%

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  Monthly Season Ticket: £319.20 to £338.40


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  Annual Season Ticket (HS1): £4,760 to £5,030


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  Annual Season Ticket: £3,324 to £3,524

In addition, since the Tories took power we have seen bus usage in Medway fall from 9.3m journeys to 8.9m journeys in one year alone.

We know buses are vital, connecting people with town centres, jobs, colleges, shopping, family and friends, and when bus services are cut, people’s lives are badly affected

Indeed, the Tory-led government’s budget allocation for Medway transport was significantly cut by the government from £3.5m per year to £1.5m per year.

As a result Medway has seen

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  Single fares up by 10p or 20p. e.g. Single fare on the 181 from Street End Road to Weeds Wood will go from £2.20 to £2.40 (9% increase)


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  Inner Medway day ticket up from £4.00 to £4.20 (5%)


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  Inner Medway week ticket up from £16 to £17 (6%)


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  Inner Medway 4-week ticket up from £47 to £50 (6%)


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  Inner Medway annual ticket up from £470 to £500 (6%)


• 
  
  Medway day ticket up from £5.20 to £5.50 (6%)


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  Medway week ticket up from £21 to £22 (5%)


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  Medway 4-week ticket up from £68 to £72 (6%)


• 
  
  Medway annual ticket up from £670 to £720 (7%)

The popular ‘Happy Max’ deal and evening fares will no longer be available.

We will continue to stand up for our residents who use buses and trains. We believe that with this government fare isn't fair.

Train Fares Campaign

The Luton & Wayfield Team is backing the local Fares' Fair campaign to reduce the amount commuters have to pay to commute into London and beyond.

There is growing concern over the projected increase in rail fares of 10% over the next four years, which would see a 2015 season ticket from Medway to London costing almost £5000. As early as next year, commuters from Medway using the high speed line into London will see a season ticket costing more than 20% of average salaries; even a non high-speed ticket will account for almost 17%.

The Tory-led government has changed the funding formula for regulated rail fares from January 2012, allowing train companies to increase fares by 3% above inflation every year until 2015. As a result, commuters face average increases of 8 per cent a year, with many facing ticket price increases of 13%. By 2015, rail fares will be on average 28.4% higher.

Commenting Cllr Tristan Osborne

"Many residents across the ward commute daily into London and are very concerned about the rise in fares. It is simply unacceptable to ask the commuter to pay more whilst the government is cutting rail subsidy."

"All the Luton & Wayfield Councillors back the campaign to reduce the fares for local residents"