1 Introduction
1. Our inquiry into rail fares arose out of three
concerns. Firstly, evidence appeared to indicate that ticket prices
in the UK are very high as compared not only to other countries
but also as compared to other transport modes here.
2. Secondly, we were concerned about the level of
complexity of ticket types and prices. Anecdotal evidence and
press reports had suggested that a myriad of ticket names linked
to an even greater array of conditions and restrictions is causing
great problems for passengers.
3. Thirdly, a chaotic situation had arisen on the
railways in the run-up to Christmas 2004, when Network Rail made
timetables available much later than their contractual obligation.
This resulted in passengers being unable to purchase cheap advance
purchase tickets, and we were extremely concerned that similar
experiences might be repeated at times of peak demand such as
Christmas and other Bank Holidays.
4. Based on these three key concerns, we invited
stakeholders to submit evidence on the following four points:
- The comparative cost of rail
travel to passengers in the UK.
- The justification for the current fare and ticketing
structure, and the case for reform.
- The availability of cheaper, advance purchase
rail tickets.
- The way in which Network Rail's determination
of the timetable can affect the cost of rail travel.
5. In the course of this inquiry, we received memoranda
from 28 organisations and individuals[1],
and took oral evidence from; the National Union of Rail, the Maritime
and Transport Workers Union (RMT), Transport 2000, London TravelWatch,
Passenger Focus (formerly known as the Rail Passengers Council),
the East Midlands Passenger Transport Users Forum (EMPTUF), the
Office of Rail Regulation (ORR), Network Rail, the Association
of Train Operating Companies (ATOC), Virgin Trains, GNER, and
the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for
Transport, Derek Twigg MP. We are grateful to our specialist advisor
on this inquiry, Professor John Preston, of the Transportation
Research Group at Southampton University [2]
1 A number of these made supplementary submissions
in the course of the inquiry. Back
2
Until 31 December 2005, John Preston was Reader in Transport
Studies and Director of the Transport Studies Unit, University
of Oxford. Back
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