Rail fare price rises

[SeagullsAndSand]

So my dh took a train from Devon to Birmingham yesterday costing £180.

First two trains were cancelled so he ended up missing 2 of his morning meetings,he had to stand up on the way home,the toilet was broken and he heard the snack cart guy charge an OAP £2.80 for a cup of hot water(yes a cup of hot water). He said the staff were rude and unhelpful and it was an embarrassment to foreign tourists sitting near to him.

Apparently the above is pretty typical.

This morning they're putting up prices.Surely if they're in the business of putting up prices the current service should be better?

Aaaaaaaaaarrrrgggggggghhhhhh. YANBU. At all.

Also surely the fact that Cameron thinks this is ok illustrates(yet again) that he does not have a clue re living in the real world.

Apparently fares will have gone up roughly 25% under the coalition government. And I still have to stand at least 3 mornings out of 5.

It was expensive when I had my young persons rail card but now it's ridiculous. I double my journey time to 9 hours and take the coach.

I'd seriously recommend looking at the national express coaches for somewhere like Devon to Taunton. They aren't as convenient but you can sit down and they are cheaper

Unfair to blame the Tories for this one. The current RPI +1% formula was introduced by Labour in 2004. The Coalition haven't changed anything.

My local station has even helpfully put a chart of the morning and evening train services, showing which ones won't have any seats available so you'll have to stand for the 1-2hr journey. You would think that if they could identify which trains are always full, they might actually put a couple of extra coaches on them! But no. Warning people that they won't be able to sit down is apparently sufficient for the £40-50 fares we have to pay.

Totally fair to blame the tories. Who privatised the railways?

If DH was travelling for work purposes I'd see if the company would pay for a rental car or taxi.

Poofus

It's the fact that DC thinks there is nothing wrong with today's fines that rankles.

Dp is a bit of an environmentalist(has driven on such trips though) and wanted to work during the journey however I think after yesterday he is having a rethink re trips such as this.

Company will pay but it's not the point.It's a shite service.