Petrol Prices

Published on Mon 7th Jul 2008

With petrol prices going through the roof, it is important that there is an attractive public transport alternative. For most local residents, that means commuting by train.

In some respects the situation has improved in recent years. Statistics confirm my impression as a commuter that trains are more reliable, if slower. There should be more trains at the end of the year with the new platform converted from Waterloo International. The new rolling stock is much better.

But peak hour over crowding is often dreadful. And with rising passenger usage it gets worse. Fares are rising faster than inflation. Since 2000 the cost of rail travel has increased faster than the costs of motoring, even after higher oil prices.

Now there is a new problem: South West Trains want to reduce the hours of ticket office staff. Having invested £10m in vending machines, they say that there is an 8% decline in office ticket sales in two years. They are however proposing a cut of much more than 8% in staff. Bigger stations like Richmond and Twickenham will have staff cuts. Smaller stations will have shorter hours of manning, off peak.

Unfortunately, the world is not as neat as railway managers believe. Machines are often broken or have long queues. Passengers who can't get tickets then face fines for travelling ticket-less. Some of the smaller stations - Hampton, Hampton Wick, Strawberry Hill, and Fulwell - have a history of attracting vandals and will now be without staff for much longer.

I have already made representations to SW Trains who, lest we forget, are a very profitable company enjoying a large government subsidy. You may have soon have cuts in station service.