Gordon campaigns for better value for rail passengers

Campaigners for cheaper train fares visited Sittingbourne this Monday to drum up support from local rail users.

The campaigners were joined by Conservative Parliamentary Candidate, Gordon Henderson, who is calling on the Government to make rail travel better value for money for passengers.

Campaign for Better Transport spokesman, Cat Hobbs, said:
“People in Kent have been hit by higher fare rises than anywhere else. The Government allows Southeastern’s regulated fares to go up 3% above inflation every year.

“Commuters in Sittingbourne have been particularly hard hit and I was delighted to see that Gordon Henderson took the trouble to join us and stand up for local passengers.”

Mr Henderson said:
“The Government's total mismanagement of our rail network over the last decade and its failure to get costs under control has meant it has no strategy to cope with the increased demand for rail travel, other than to by raising fares.

“This approach is particularly galling at a time when ministers tell us that we should all be switching to public transport to lower emissions and reduce congestion, whilst continuing to make rail travel so expensive.

“I understand fully why people resent being faced with fare increases that far outstrip inflation and yet are forced to travel in hugely overcrowded trains.

“In addition, we now have the ludicrous situation of local rail travellers either having to go to a station they don’t want to use, St Pancreas, and paying more for the privilege, or waiting longer for a train to Cannon Street, London Bridge or Victoria.

“Whilst economic circumstances are tough, I believe that if we are going to make rail travel an attractive alternative to the car we have to overcome these problems.”