More rail fare rises on the horizon - Kramer

1.40.46pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 25th Jul 2007

The Liberal Democrats today attacked the Government's new rail strategy as vague and unambitious.

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Shadow Transport Secretary, Susan Kramer MP said:

"This is just the latest in a long line of Government re-announcements.

"The last 30 years have seen rail fares rise as car travel gets cheaper. Nothing in this strategy suggests this trend will be reversed. How are people going to be persuaded out of their cars when fares are set to rise even further?

"Another year brings another rail strategy from ministers. Rather than giving a constant flow of warm words, ministers should get on with the job of reducing overcrowding and congestion.

"This strategy simply does not meet the Stern report's challenge of reducing greenhouse emissions. It is disappointing that high speed rail, that would help to reduce aviation emissions, has been kicked into the long grass.

"Passengers will have to suffer many more years of fare hikes and overcrowding."