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BBC breakfast News reporting LIVE from London Kings Cross station on Monday(2 January
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Their search for long-suffering Southern commuters to interview has reached another London terminal?
Polarbear
Established Member
But I'm afraid this nonsense is repeated every year and it's a symptom of the low journalistic standards we have in his country today.
The cycle starts in the summer when the inflation figure used to determine the amount by which regulated fares will be increased is announced.
That's followed by announcements later in the year regarding non-regulated fares, when the press start their annual assault on the railways. So by now, we know how much fares will increase by & the press usually do a less than balanced piece by asking commuters how they feel about it. Needless to say, the reaction is almost wholly negative.
And then, for some reason other than lazy journalism & a perceived need to "rubbish" the rail industry, the whole story is regurgitated on the day the fares actually increase? The BBC said it was "headline news" this morning.
Sorry, but unless the press are on a mission to discredit the rail industry, I cannot see why two separate but related announcements from the previous year are suddenly "headline news" today?
The cycle starts in the summer when the inflation figure used to determine the amount by which regulated fares will be increased is announced.
That's followed by announcements later in the year regarding non-regulated fares, when the press start their annual assault on the railways. So by now, we know how much fares will increase by & the press usually do a less than balanced piece by asking commuters how they feel about it. Needless to say, the reaction is almost wholly negative.
And then, for some reason other than lazy journalism & a perceived need to "rubbish" the rail industry, the whole story is regurgitated on the day the fares actually increase? The BBC said it was "headline news" this morning.
Sorry, but unless the press are on a mission to discredit the rail industry, I cannot see why two separate but related announcements from the previous year are suddenly "headline news" today?
Andrewlong
Member
Put the dates in your diaries - date of fare rise announced - check. Date fares rise - check. Happens every year and a great excuse to rehearse the nationalisation and poor downtrodden passenger cliches!
FlashingYellows
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Tedious isn't it. I've lost any sort of confidence I had in the BBC over their reporting of the southern strikes, Christmas engineering works and now the fare increases. They haven't used any investigative skills at all and are happy to peddle whatever they are told as news. I'd certainly think twice on taking their word on matters I know less about.
LNW-GW Joint
Veteran Member
Even worse is the Labour man grumbling about fare increases since 2010.
As it they would do any different (they set the policy of passengers paying relatively more than taxpayers, and the RPI+x formula).
As it they would do any different (they set the policy of passengers paying relatively more than taxpayers, and the RPI+x formula).
route:oxford
Established Member
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Well they did lie about their plans to re-nationalise the railway in 1997, 2001 & 2005...
The only political party that has successfully started the re-nationalisation of the Railway is the SNP.
LNW-GW Joint
Veteran Member
What nationalised train services run in Scotland then?
But they didn't privatise British Rail, contrary to what many of the BBC commenters believe.
SS4
Established Member
It's not like they know there's a country outside the M25
Altnabreac
Established Member
To be fair every single service in Scotland that has been franchised since the Scottish Government gained the powers required to run publicly operated services.
Which is to say none as the Scotland Act 2016 which gave them said powers has only been in force for 9 months.
Three in fact. Date of inflation bulletin, date new fares announced, and date fares take effect.
I love all the BBC talk about "commuters" despite the fact that today is a bank holiday and 99% of travelers will be leisure travelers rather than commuters.
PHILIPE
Veteran Member
Chris Grayling stated on TV that these fare increases are paying for the most ambitious modernisation programme ever undertaken. Not everybody sees these benefits and this has been spouted for years. Realistically, why should passengers who don't see any benefit have to pay these fare increases. Example, ever since ATW took over the franchise on a no growth basis in 2003, passenger numbers have grown by almost double on some routes but none of this fare money has been invested in new units to meet demand with the result there are now clapped out units, severe overcrowding across the board with passengers unable to even get on a train on a daily basis. Should passengers on these routes be penalised for a deteriorating service. Admittedly there have been some recent and currently ongoing major infrastructure projects but this is not everything to long suffering passengers. I'm sure Northern passengers will agree with these sentiments also.
ChrisHogan
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The majority of fare increases in fact go to pay for wage increases. Over half of the industry's costs are in wages, and most railway industry increases are based on RPI plus uplifts to rates of pay.
It's paying for something alright. Mr Grayling and GTR's p*ssing war with Mick Cash and RMT.
If I were a regular Southern user now getting a fare rise, I would feel insulted.
crewmeal
Member
And where is the evidence for this? Apart from management salary increases I see no improvement year in year out.
furnessvale
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You give a location of Birmingham. Whether you agree or disagree with what has been done, surely you cannot deny the work undertaken at New Street.
hairyhandedfool
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Where did you find these 'facts'? I'd like to claim my back pay if they are true.
They are ? no one seems to have told the Railway Staff that ! (or the bank ! )
ChrisHogan
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The last London Midland statutory accounts (available from the Companies House website) shows that its staff costs represent about 61% of its own costs (i.e. exclusive of Access costs (TAA, SAA), Station and LMD Leases and ROSCO charges). These staff costs increased by about 3% over the previous accounts.
To see the level of wage increases go to http://www.aslef.org.uk/information/102222/102225/companies/ and click on individual companies. ASLEF appears to have achieved at least RPI in each of its recent sets of wage negotiations. No doubt the RMT did the same.
So in summary, if you exclude most of the non-wage costs, much of what remains is wage costs?
Andrewlong
Member
The media will have put a date in their calendars to report this on 2 January each year when commuters normally go back to work. The fact that it's a Bank Holiday today probably hasn't occurred to them yet! Or it will be repeated over again tomorrow when commuters start travelling.
All we need is a Southern strike, a fare rise and poor rail conditions caused by icy temperatures & the media will have a field day!
Half? This says otherwise. http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/static/images/structure/css/fact-about-fare-2014.jpg
ChrisHogan
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This chart includes the whole rail industry, presumably including DfT and ROSCO investment. The majority of DfT investment isn't funded by the farebox (whatever Grayling says) but from direct government funding.
My actual example was from a typical TOC. The fare increases, which is what this thread is about, is derived from increased TOC costs including franchise premium/support payments. I would be surprised if any TOC has staff costs of less than half of turnover.
Failed Unit
Established Member
As a GTR user we are! With debatable improvements post 2018.
BR used to increase fares significantly after improvements and not before with the "jam tomorrow" argument.
Wallsendmag
Established Member
I'm sure there have been price rises every January for as long as I can remember it's simply not news, it's a thrice per year event. In other news shock horror as 2016 passes away.
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PHILIPE
Veteran Member
My point earlier was about discussing if fare increases can be justified, irrespective of DFT policy, for a deteriorating service.
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