UK commuters spend up to six times as much of their salary on rail fares as other European passengers

UK commuters spend up to six times as much of their salary on rail fares as other European passengers

Rail commuters returning to work will face fresh fare increases, while spending up to six times as much of their salaries on rail fares as European passengers on publicly owned railways, new research by the Action for Rail campaign has revealed.

UK workers on average salaries will spend 14% of their income on a monthly season ticket from Luton to London (£387), or 11% from Liverpool to Manchester (£292).

By contrast, similar commutes would cost passengers only 2% of their incomes in France, 3% in Germany and Italy, and 4% in Spain.

The analysis also shows that rail fares have increased by 56% since 2006, more than double the change in average earnings (24%) and inflation (26%).

Action for Rail, a campaign by rail unions and the TUC, point to the UK’s privatised rail service as a key driver of costs. All other countries examined have largely publicly-owned rail services and lower costs for commuters.

The findings come as rail campaigners and workers plan to hold protests at over 100 stations around the country against fare rises and in support of public ownership. At London King’s Cross Station and Manchester Piccadilly Station, photo ops and demonstrations will take place at 8am on Tuesday 3 January.

TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “British commuters are forced to shell out far more on rail fares than others in Europe. Many will look with envy at the cheaper, publicly-owned services on the continent.

“Years of failed privatisation have left us with sky-high ticket prices, overcrowded trains, understaffed services and out-of-date infrastructure. Private train companies are milking the system, and the government is letting them get away with it.”

ASLEF General Secretary Mick Whelan said: “It is scandalous that the government is allowing privatised train companies to make even more money for providing an ever-poorer service. We have the most expensive railway in Europe and the train companies, aided and abetted by this government, are about to make it even more costly for people to travel.”

RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said: “British passengers are paying the highest fares in Europe to travel on rammed services while the private train companies are laughing all the way to the bank. Companies like Southern Rail and their French owners are siphoning off cash to subsidise rail services in Paris and beyond.”

TSSA General Secretary Manuel Cortes said: “It's high time we stopped this annual rip-off of our passengers and take back control of our train companies for the British taxpayer. Money made from the railways should be ploughed back into cheaper fares and service upgrades for the benefit of passengers.”

Unite national officer for the rail industry Tony Murphy said: “Yet again UK rail passengers are hammered by the annual fares rip-off.

“Transport secretary Chris Grayling has made it clear that he views the railways as a political football for ideologues, with long-suffering commuters lagging a long way behind. Every day, the case for the public ownership of the rail industry gets stronger.”