Bromsgrove Rail Users Group slams price hikes

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PROPOSED rail fare increases for commuters travelling from Bromsgrove to Birmingham will increase by an average of 6.2 per cent from January.

The rises have come about after this week's Retail Price Index (RPI) inflation figure, which rose by 3.2 per cent. Some rail fares across England are expected to increase by three per cent on top of that, taking the figure to 6.2.

And those price hikes mean a weekly pass between the town and the second city will go up from £25.60 to £27.18, a monthly one will increase by £6.10 from £98.40 to £104.50 and an annual pass will speed ahead by £63.48 from £1,024 to £1,087.49.

The Government claims the price rises are a necessity in the short-term so its long-term aim of decreasing the costs of running the railways can be acomplished.

But Mike Ponsonby, the chairman of the Bromsgrove Rail Users' Group, slammed the hikes.

"We in Bromsgrove Rail Users' Group believe the 6.2 per cent increase in rail fares is a national disgrace.

"It was bad enough that we had to bail out the banks and now we are having to bail out the privatised train operating companies by contributing to their profits."

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