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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Let the train take the strain

Posted: 11/3/2009 8:14:04 AM EDT

Strain your wallet more likely

I'll take the Beemer and f**k the fuel consumption thanks...

Robbing bastards

First £1,000 rail fare criticised

British train fares are the highest in Europe

The UK's first £1,000 rail ticket has been described as "scandalous" and "appalling value" by opposition MPs.

The first-class return walk-up fare is from Newquay, in Cornwall to Kyle of Lochalsh, in the Scottish Highlands.

The
Conservatives blamed "Labour's micromanagement of the railways", while
the Lib Dems called the record fare "a very unwelcome landmark".

Cross Country Trains, which sells the ticket, said an advance fare was available for £561.

Price doubled

The
fare was unearthed in a survey by rail expert Barry Doe, who said that
the price of long-distance journeys had risen by up the three times the
level of inflation since privatisation in the mid-1990s.

Mr Doe
told the Evening Standard newspaper that even the £1,002 ticket had
been available for £486 as recently as September 2008.

Three train companies share the 1,700 mile (2,736km) return trip - First Great Western, Cross Country and Scotrail.

The £1,000 journey is from Cornwall to the Scottish Highlands

Mr Doe pointed out that on the first leg of the journey (Newquay to
Par) and the last (Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh) there were not even
any first-class carriages for the ticketholder to sit in.

A spokesman for Cross Country said: "No-one has actually bought this £1,000 fare but it does exist.

"Someone wanting a first-class return would be likely to book a saver return in advance and pay £561."

'Takes the biscuit'

Cat
Hobbs, from the Campaign for Better Transport, claimed the £1,000
journey showed "just how pricey and complicated the fare structure is".

And while regulated fares will actually fall slightly from
January because of retail price deflation, she said she feared train
companies would raise their unregulated fares to make up for the drop
in their income.

"We think the government should step in and review how they regulate fares," she said.

"The government should not let the train companies take all the flak for this. It's up to the government to change the system."

Farepayers have become all too used to appalling value for money

Stephen Hammond, shadow rail minister

Lib Dem transport spokesman Norman Baker said high fares were encouraging people to abandon the trains in favour of their cars.

And
he added: "When you can fly halfway across Europe for £30, the idea
that you can end up paying £1,000 for a train journey in Britain is
absolutely scandalous."

Shadow rail minister Stephen Hammond
said: "Due to Labour's micromanagement of the railway, farepayers have
become all too used to appalling value for money.

"Today's revelation of a £1,000 fare really takes the biscuit."

Posted: 11/3/2009 8:37:06 AM EDT

[#1]

you could go National express for less but it would take about 4 weeks

Posted: 11/3/2009 8:58:31 AM EDT

[#2]

Quoted:
you could go National express for less but it would take about 4 weeks

Or you could fly from St Mawgan (Newquay) to Stansted and then up to Scotland for a great deal less, though you'll most likely have to pay to pee and not take any spare clothes.

Posted: 11/3/2009 2:28:04 PM EDT

[#3]

I fuc*in' hate trains........

Posted: 11/3/2009 2:29:43 PM EDT

[#4]

Quoted:
I fuc*in' hate trains........

couldn't have put it better myself!

Posted: 11/3/2009 3:20:54 PM EDT

[#5]

Just checked online:

Return flight London Heathrow to Sydney?

£ 793.60

Posted: 11/3/2009 3:50:01 PM EDT

[#6]

Heathrow to Vegas return £960...

Posted: 11/4/2009 7:41:32 AM EDT

[#7]

Quoted:
Heathrow to Vegas return £960...

I got mine for £405!

and that was from manchester!!

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Let the train take the strain

Hometown » United Kingdom

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First £1,000 rail fare criticised

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