First Cars, Now Trains

[twiglet4frog]

what do u think of the idea of once we have forced car drivers off the roads with per mile charges and onto overused trains, that they are now considering charging congestion charges on trains??

see sky news..

http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30000-13375093,00. html

[twiglet4frog]

my links never work so here is the article:

TRAINS CONGESTION CHARGE
 
Passengers on the busiest trains may be hit with a congestion charge to help prevent commuter levels from reaching dangerous levels.

The Association of Train Operating Companies will reveal plans to charge people on the most popular services a premium rate, claims The Times.

Worst hit would be commuters in the South East who may be forced to pay hundreds of extra pounds for season tickets if they want to continue using morning and evening services.

The Association is trying to find ways to reduce passenger numbers which it says are expected to increase by "at least 28%" over the next 10 years.

Another proposed way of handling growth would be to scrap under-used trains and stations.

But forcing passengers to pay more for peak-time services could prove to be the most controversial plan.

The Times says it would be paid for through an electronic charge card which would allow train companies to charge different prices for each train.

And it would come on top of the above-inflation rises in fares the Government plans to allow to reduce its annual �6.5bn subsidy for railways.

The Rail Passengers Council criticised the proposal, saying some passengers had no choice but to catch the busiest services.

A spokesman told The Times: "The way to attract passengers to less-crowded trains is to offer better off-peak discounts rather than target a captive audience."

[WoWo]

Total joke, I bet almost everybody would love to get later/earlier trains than they do but their employer won't let them.

The issue with cars was to move people on to public transport where there was a an alternative, if anything by making people pay more to use the train they may as well go back to using cars.

[BigDogsWang]

So....out of your car and onto a train. Train prices go up, so off the train and on the bus. Buses get over crowded, so bus fares go up. Off the bus, and on yer bike!!

Why is this Government's only answer to congestion is to increase prices instead of offering alternatives?

[Pootle]

3 years ago, I used to have to take Silverlink trains between Watford Junction and London Euston. Handing over 200 notes a month knowing I was never going to get a seat, with my nose pressed up against a window and knowing 8/10 times the train would be delayed was the most on-going humiliating moment in my life. Knowing there was no other way of getting to work, knowing there was nothing I could do except pay that damn money. Dirty trains, lobotomised staff, scum utter utter scum. I honesty pity those poor sods who still have to make that journey. They'll put up the prices and there's nothing you can do do about it other than curse some more. Thank god I don't have to do that any more, how I cursed them...

[WaldoMcFroog]

I pay over �2,000 a year to get to work by train. I have no choice about the mode of transport since the road system is overcrowded, and takes twice as long. Given how often I have to stand for the entire journey - which is only 50 minutes, fortunately - and how often they break down, are late, haven't been cleaned etc the mere suggestion that they would even suggest trying to charge me more incenses me.

Re-nationalise the whole blummin' lot, remove the preposterous notion of trying to apply free-market policies to something where there is no choice, and hell, why not charge a more reasonable rate for the tickets? I'm sure the director's bonuses alone would consititue enough for a few quid of everyone's annual bill!

[Loosehead]

Well Waldo, I totally agree, the railways and public transport can never work in normal business terms it has to be seen as a service. generally you'd probaly consider me right of centre but my transport policies are hard left! Beeching was the first mistake, lets pour money into the rail system and get those bloody juggernauts off the road.

[twiglet4frog]

juggernaughts should be on the road, but when the roads arent used so much i.e night time! why is there no law stating that lorries of a certain size or number of wheels are kept of the roads between the hours of 7am - 7pm.This would cut congestion on roads at peak times by almost a third in some areas! Thus giving us a few more years to figure out better alternatives. We have excellent roads that are used badly! we dont need very many new roads, we just need the traffic spread over the full 24 hours so they are used efficiently and as i drive and see approx 1 in 7 lorries on british roads are linked to supplying a major supermarket, and most of them major supermarkets are 24 hour anyway then there is no need for them to be transporting there goods at day time hours!

In fact, if a law cannot be brought out banning them from the roads then maybe a new road tax that is substantially cheaper for lorry firms provided they arent on the road between my hours suggested? to encourage them to drive at night! fit GPS black boxes to lorries to monitor they are not driven on roads in illegal hours, the drivers arent driving over there legal tacho hours, monitor what lorries are on which long distance roads the most and find alternatives for them.

And lets keep road tax high like it is, make the roads we have more efficient in there use, even keep petrol at around 80p a litre and use all the governement money they are raising from all this to be spent on fabulous, tempting, cheaper public transport that makes driving to work look a expensive hassle, instead of wasting it thinking up stupid schemes that are meant to make us think that sitting in a luxury car, music playing, air con on full alone and at peace with the world driving when i want and how i want, isnt as good as sitting on an overcrowded, very late if it turns up, expensive hot train with as much friendliness around u as a prison block!

[joolesbarr]

if everyone worked locally to where they lived instead of buying houses in areas which is cheaper and bumping up
that areas house prices there would be no such thing as congestion on our roads or our trains so I think its a great idea, if you earn londons wages then buy your house in london and save yourself a congestion charge!!!

[WaldoMcFroog]

Nice idea in concept, joolesbarr, but a little simplistic.

I live where I was born and brought up and have bought a property in a decent neighbourhood for a price that might get me a shoebox in a no-go zone in London.

Should I move to London, away from my family and friends and home town?

[Gef]

We already pay more for travelling on the train at peak times so it's not a new idea. Taxis cost more after midnight so what's the problem?

[WaldoMcFroog]

The problem is precisely that we *already* pay more during peak times!