Cut rail fares to continental level: Caroline Lucas MEP

19 February 2009

In the newspapers today, the government is saying it would cost £500m a year to bring UK commuter fares in line with prices paid in other European countries. I'd say that's a bargain, let's do it.

We're currently wasting three times that much every year building, widening and repairing motorways and trunk roads (1).

Eight years ago an opinion poll asked whether we need to build more roads, or should we channel the funds into alternatives, or do both. Only 22% supported the Labour, Tory and Liberal Democrat line of doing both (2). Since then we've spent around £9bn on major roads in England alone (3).

It's clear what the public wants. In that poll fully 61% said stop roadbuilding and invest in the alternatives - the Green Party line. This is another reason why we need Greens elected to Westminster, because the other parties are simply not delivering on public transport.

Here are your options, then. Vote Labour for the highest rail fares in Europe. Vote Conservative for the same (like last time they were in power). Vote LibDem for what Norman Baker calls "an immediate fare freeze" - that is, freezing rail fares at the highest level in Europe.

Or vote Green. We will commit to spending the £500m a year necessary to bring our rail fares in line with those on the continent.

Notes:

1. Expenditure on motorways and trunk roads in England alone in 2006/7 was £1.6bn. This has shown a steady increase from 1999/2000 when it was £961m. This does not include £2.73bn spent on local roads, itself almost double the 1999 figure of just under £1.4bn. Source: correspondence from RLMP Division, Department for Transport, 6.2.09, citing Highways Agency Financial Accounts and local authority returns to Communities and Local Government.

2. ICM for the Ecologist vol 31 no 4 May 2001 p34. Cited in Green Party: The Strongest Link, http://www.greenparty.org.uk/files/reports/2004/The%20strongest%20link.html.

3. £6.8827bn for the six years for which figures are available. It's safe to assume at least £1bn a year for the last two years.