Brighton and Hove Green Party campaigners joined this morning’s “Action For Rail” demonstrations at train stations across the city.
Travellers returning to work today have seen ticket prices rise yet again. With the highest fares in Europe, commuters are spending up to 6 times more than passengers using publically owned services in other countries such as Germany and France.
Sue Shanks, who joined fellow Party Co-Chair Davy Jones at the protests at Moulsecoomb and Preston Park, said:
“With so many of our residents commuting out of the city, Brighton and Hove will be especially effected by these increases. Passengers are being asked to pay more and more for increasingly unreliable, over crowded services whilst the profits sit in shareholders pockets. The case for bringing railways back into public ownership has never been greater.”
Green MP Caroline Lucas joined the demonstration at Brighton Station, saying;
“If the government really wants to make savings and improve our transport network for everyone, it should recognise that privatisation has failed and take steps to return the railways to public ownership.”
Caroline has tabled a Private Members Bill [1] in Parliament on the issue. The Bill is expected to have its second reading on 22nd January.
She is also set to meet with Claire Perry, the Railways Minister, and train companies on 18th January.
[1] Caroline’s Private Members’ Bill: http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2015-16/railways.html