Our railways were once the pride of Britain, however rising fares and deteriorating service quality means this is distant memory. Commuters are increasingly finding themselves caught in a system that is unaffordable, unreliable, and unfair.
In my constituency, the cost of a season ticket from Woking to London has soared by £773 since 2019, now standing at an eye-watering £4,516. This isn’t an issue limited to Woking, commuters across the UK are being forced to pay increasingly high fares.
At a time when families continue to struggle with the cost-of-living crisis, these eye-watering fare rises are not only unfair but counterproductive. If we are serious about promoting economic growth and tackling climate change, we must make public transport an affordable and attractive option for everyone. Instead, rail travel has become a luxury many are finding they can no longer afford, ironically risking debt, to earn a living.
We need more people using public transport, not fewer, however commuters are being railed with a terrible ask, to pay more for a deteriorating service. A Freedom of Information request has revealed that over 55,000 rush-hour trains were partially or fully cancelled last year, a 10% increase compared to the year before and the worst record since 2019.
Unfortunately, rising prices and declining service are not the only problems. In my recent conversations with constituents, I’ve heard countless stories of a broader pattern of neglect across the railway network.
Joanna from West Byfleet, for example, shared her concerns about the unsafe conditions at West Byfleet station car park, where inadequate lighting and overgrown vegetation create an isolated & unsafe environment at night. Despite multiple complaints to South Western Railway, little has been done to rectify the situation.
Another constituent, Katie, shared her issue with the lack of fast trains stopping at Clapham Junction during peak hours. This is a key station on the network, but after the 07:13 service there is a 90-minute gap where no fast trains stop, forcing commuters, like Katie, to take longer and more expensive routes. These are not isolated incidents; the experiences of Joanna and Katie’s are mirrored by commuters nationwide.
We need long term reform, which is why I, along with my Liberal Democrat colleagues, am calling for an immediate freeze on rail fares. This move would save commuters in Woking an average of £140 per year.
The current ticketing structure is fragmented and confusing. We need a simplified, fair, and affordable fare structure that works for everyone, which is why the Liberal Democrats and I are advocating for the establishment of a Railway Agency.
This would be a public body that would act as the guiding mind for our railways, putting passengers first, holding rail operators to account and driving the long-overdue reforms that the system desperately needs – and goes much further than Labour’s Great British Railways plan. It would bring clarity to ticket pricing, ensure accountability for poor service, and help deliver a railway system that is reliable, affordable, and efficient.
Most commuters are not concerned whether railway services are publicly or privately owned. People simply want trains that run on time, services that are affordable, and stations that are safe. The relentless focus on ideology by the previous Conservative government has meant that these basic needs have been ignored.
In fact, the previous Conservative government’s failure to properly manage the railways mirrors its broader failure to manage the economy, allowing £35.8 billion in uncollected taxes to sit idle. This money could have been used to freeze rail fares, invest in infrastructure, and create a railway system that works for all.
Commuters are tired of empty promises, paying more and getting less. They deserve a railway system that supports their needs, not one that treats them like cash cows while providing an ever-worsening service.
It’s time for the government to act. Freezing rail fares and reforming the system is not only necessary but long overdue. Anything less is a betrayal of the millions of people who rely on our railways every day.
The future of our economy, our environment, and our communities depends on it. Let’s get back on track and deliver a railway system that works for everyone.
Why we must freeze rail fares and fix our broken railway system
