Welsh Labour rase rail fares again up to 3.8% from today, so much for using public transport
Labour in disarray about rail fares
Welsh Conservatives have criticised Labour of hypocrisy and exacerbating the rise in the cost of living.
While Labour MPs in Westminster criticise the increase in rail fares, the Labour Government in Cardiff Bay has raised the cost of rail fares by up to 3.8% from today with the price of a commute from Neath to Cardiff increasing by £70 per year.
This rise comes a year after the Welsh Government took complete control of Transport for Wales (TfW) after nationalising the previously ‘arm’s length’ organisation.
Since the creation of TfW:
- Welsh Trains have been plagued by overcrowding and delays with no trains under the age of 20 in use by TfW.
- A survey found that, a year after TfW took over, customer satisfaction was the same as when Arriva was in charge.
- More than £2m has been paid out by TfW in compensation since 2018 with 22% of Welsh residents said rail provision is bad in their area and 11% said they did not have any local train services at all, the worst rate in the UK.
Commenting, Welsh Conservative and Shadow Minister for Transport, Natasha Asghar MS, said:
“This rise in rail fares has been criticised by members of the Labour Party across the border yet has been imposed by Labour ministers in Cardiff Bay. Either the Labour MPs have forgotten about their colleagues in Wales or they simply don’t care.
“We have heard lots of rhetoric about tackling the cost of living and encouraging the use of public transport by Labour ministers, yet when push comes to shove, these are just hollow words with no meaningful action.
“How can Labour ministers claim to be supporting hard working people through the rising cost of living while hiking up their rail fares? It’s just beyond my comprehension.”
