First Great Western charging more per mile than any other train operator

12.00.00am GMT Mon 22nd Dec 2008

On Monday the Evening Post highlighted further examples of delays on the Severn Beach train line, and the difficulties Mr Jon Hall has had in getting replies to his complaints from First Great Western and from the Council.

Bristol passengers are used to a poor service, but it also seems as if we also pay more for it than other passengers do.

The Liberal Democrats have discovered that the average passenger on First Great Western pays 70 pence per mile. That includes not just passengers on suburban rail services but also those Bristol residents who commute to work in London, Swindon, Bath and Cheltenham.

By contrast our near neighbours who use Arriva Trains Wales pay just 24 pence per mile. Northern rail passengers pay just 27 pence.

It is hard to see how this massive price difference per mile can be justified, and, as a first step, the Liberal Democrats will be raising this issue with the Office of Rail Regulation.

In the meantime this Government is content to allow train fares to continue to rise above inflation year after year. However it can be justifiable to permit such huge variations in pricing between train operators.