Questions & Answers
Q1
Partial Answer
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Context
Since 2010, rail fares have risen significantly in the UK. Andrew Western asks about the assessment of these fare increases' impact on passenger numbers.
What assessment he has made of the impact of the rise in rail fares on passenger numbers since 2010?
Since 2010, regulated fares across Great Britain have decreased by around 7% compared with the retail prices index. The Government continue to intervene to keep fares affordable, and to encourage travel, by capping increases below inflation and delivering initiatives such as the second great British rail sale.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not provide a specific assessment of how rising rail fares have affected passenger numbers.
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
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Context
Urmston train station, part of Andrew Western's constituency, was one of the ten worst performing stations last year regarding service reliability. He is concerned about an impending fare increase.
For a period last year, Urmston train station in my constituency was one of the country's 10 worst performing train stations for service reliability. Given the level of service experienced by my constituents who use Urmston and other stations on the line, why are they set to face an inflation-busting fare increase in March?
If we take the current year's fares as an example, we delivered the biggest Government intervention on rail fares since privatisation by capping fare increases at 5.9%, which was 6.4 percentage points below the July RPI. In the last three years, the UK taxpayer has contributed £45.9 billion to keep the railways going.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not address why fare increases are being implemented despite poor service reliability.
Response accuracy
Q3
Partial Answer
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Context
There has been a promise of establishing a through train service from Market Rasen to London, but it is currently held up by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury.
If a person were to get a train from Market Rasen to London later this morning, not only would they be hit by a hefty rail fare, as we all know, but, worse, it would take them over three hours and two changes. My hon. Friend has repeatedly promised me and my hon. Friend the Member for Cleethorpes (Martin Vickers) that he will give us a through train to London. I understand that he has now approved that—he can confirm it today—but it is held up on the desk of the Chief Secretary to the Treasury. We do not want some bean counter in the Treasury stopping our train.
I fear a career-limiting response. My right hon. Friend's campaign is strong, and he is absolutely right that it has this team's support; I am sure that it will have support across Government. It is currently being looked at, and I hope to be able to give him and his colleagues good news.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not confirm the status or timeline of establishing a through train service from Market Rasen to London.
It Is Currently Being Looked At
Response accuracy
Q4
Partial Answer
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Context
Scotland has scrapped peak fares and extended the policy. Owen Thompson asks if similar policies will be implemented across Anglo-Scottish services.
Last October, peak fares were scrapped across Scotland's railways for six months. That has been extended to nine months, until the end of June. As a result, ScotRail services are 4% busier and demand has shifted across the service day. Meanwhile, Department for Transport-owned London North Eastern Railway has pushed up prices for thousands of tickets in the name of simplification, in some cases costing passengers going to and from Scotland hundreds of pounds extra. Will the Minister look to the lessons that Scotland has learned from scrapping peak fares, and apply that policy across Anglo-Scottish services?
I am delighted to talk about things that are being scrapped, because perhaps we can shift towards rail freight. The SNP budget has just been set. Mode shift revenue support has always been given to rail freight, to move freight from road to rail, but the SNP Scottish Government have just announced that they are axing that subsidy. Not only that, but for the year to come, the cross-border subsidy between Scotland and the rest of Great Britain is being scrapped, too.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not address whether policies from scrapping peak fares in Scotland would be applied to Anglo-Scottish services.
I Am Delighted To Talk About Things That Are Being Scrapped
Response accuracy