Rail passengers paying more and more but seeing less day-to-day spending, says The Telegraph

The Telegraph has thrown down a marker to the Chancellor who is under pressure to stop scheduled rail fare increases with an article that outlines how passengers are paying more and more, but seeing less day-to-day spending, with busy commuter lines suffering the most.

The article cites figures which it says show that total investment in the railway network is broadly the same now as in 2003, while day-to-day spending such as on signals repairs has fallen at the expense of major schemes. And with the busiest lines subsidising others, this leaves commuters not seeing the benefit of growing-in-cost season tickets, it asserts, quoting Which? as saying that the industry is not dealing with "the basics people expect," including delays and overcrowding. And passengers contribute 71% of the total cost of investment now, compared to 57% at the end of the last Labour Government.

It suggests an overhaul of the structure of the industry, and a "more coherent plan to communicate what is going on and what is being spent," given passengers "commonly question where the money is being spent, with some potentially holding the view it falls straight into train operating company coffers," it says, alluding to the view expounded by Labour under Jeremy Corbyn. It is quick to underline that "the money does not only line the pockets of franchise holders," as it questions the priority of "subsidising less profitable lines".

The article comes after The Guardian ran a comment piece by The Equality Trust last week arguing that the most important story about our transport system is not fare increases, but the fact it is "an important driver of inequality". The piece calls for prioritising of investment in poorer areas and in modes used by those on lower incomes.