After a busy day canvassing, I decided to visit some friends and purchased some diesel in a service station just outside the Bridgend constituency. The price? A ridiculous £1.39 a litre.
This should be enough to get even the most car dependent family to consider rail use. However, Arriva Trains Wales have significantly increased their prices well above the rate of inflation. The ConDem coalition have increased the cost of season tickets across the UK by almost 6% (so much for David Cameron’s green credentials), but even more alarmingly, Arriva Trains Wales have increased rail travel in Bridgend by almost 10%
A season ticket for use between Bridgend and Cardiff has increased from £732 to £804, while the cost of a day ticket from Bridgend to Cardiff will increase from £5.40 to £5.90. Meanwhile, passengers have not seen any improvements to the quality of the service.
This is why I believe Plaid Cymru’s proposal to put the management of Welsh railways in the hands of a ‘not for profit’ company following the end of the ATW franchise would be extremely desirable to passengers and the Welsh economy.
Instead of extended profits for ATW, more money could be made available to invest in rail travel across Wales with additional services linking Bridgend with the nearby Valleys and major cities.
While this may reduce car dependency, some isolated communities in Wales, will always depend on the car. For some, fuel is a price elastic commodity. No matter what the cost in fuel duty, some people will reluctantly pay the cost.
With the UK governments increase in fuel duty and VAT, I am strongly in favour of a fuel regulator. This would ensure the price at the pump would reflect the fluctuation in crude oil. In essence, when the price of oil increases or the level of VAT increases, the level of fuel tax would decrease.
Your trying to hit 2 different targets with one shot. Impossible. Stay with the one that effects every all individual's,businesses and more important Wales.
ReplyDeletePoint your bow where the arrow should strike.
Hi Spiderman67
ReplyDeleteAs the Con-Dem coalition in Westminster is responsible for setting fuel duty, I was suggesting that we should lobby the government for a fuel price regulator.
The Arriva Trains Wales franchise ends in 2018, which gives us time to fully debate and plan an equitable plan for the management of our railways. I believe given the challenges from the difficult economic conditions and climate change, we must be ambitious in our transport planning.
On this subject, I am extremely concerned that the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats will scrap plans to electrify our rail.
Tim , I do not disagree with your proposals. I feel you & I serve the same cause. But mine appears to be driving me more into going into the land of the disability movement. This being my main strength , knowledge and personal experience. Yours beliefs are , I hope & believe are for the same humanitarian reasons , but we exist on another track . Together , I hope that we shall meet smile & shake hands at our journeys end. WWW.
ReplyDeleteWarmest Regards
VM Hunt