Labour’s Parliamentary candidate for Taunton Deane has condemned fare rises that will add hundreds of pounds a year to people’s travel costs. Neil Guild says Labour would reverse discredited Tory policies that are pushing rail travel out of people’s reach.
Rail fares are due to rise by well above the inflation rate of 3.5% in January 2015, with some fares rising by up to 5.5%, adding hundreds of pounds to the cost of season tickets. For people in Taunton this means that a season ticket to Bristol has increased by £580 since 2010. The same ticket is predicted to rise by a further £676 to £4,100 by 2018, according to figures from the House of Commons Library.
Neil Guild said:
“As a town Taunton relies heavily on its transport links and strategic location within the South West region. It has recently been announced that £4.8 million will be spent on Taunton railway station over the next two years as part of the Local Growth Fund. But the fare hike announced today, along with future predicted rise, jeopardises the value of that investment and Taunton’s attractiveness as a location for future business investment.
“What should be a reliable, sustainable alternative to road travel becomes ever further out of reach for many people. Families or businesses looking to relocate to Taunton will inevitably be discouraged from doing so due to the increasing cost of transport.
Inflation-Busting Fare Rises
“This Tory and Liberal Democrat government has failed to stand up for working people struggling with the cost-of-living crisis. They have allowed train companies to sting passengers with inflation-busting fare rises of over 20 per cent since 2010
“We can’t go on like this. The choice facing passengers is between fares rising another 24 per cent by 2018 under the Tories, or a Labour Government which will cap annual fares on every route and enact the biggest railway reforms since the Tories’ botched privatisation, delivering a better deal for passengers and taxpayers.”
Neil Guild, Labour Party PPC for Taunton Deane – 0795 0700872
We are putting people before buildings. We have not voted to demolish Deane House; we have voted to explore the option of relocating to Somerset County Council. We have been advised by independent, professional property people that Deane House will require millions of pounds spending on it over the next few years. Spending more on our own building would have meant cutting services to the public. We decided to put people first.
The Lib Dems wanted, as they have with every other difficult issue in the last few years, to bury their head in the sand and not make a decision until after next May’s election. They also wanted to set £300,000 aside for repairs in the meantime. Throwing good money after bad.
Perhaps, Cllr Slattery may want to reflect that we are only having to do these things because his colleagues in London have joined with the Tories to decimate local government.
The Tory run Taunton Deane Borough Council have voted (August 19) to demolish Deane House and pursue their preferred option to move in with the Tory administration at County Hall in Taunton.
The decision was taken at a special meeting of Full Council after a similar proposal was rejected by Councillors in July.
In accordance with the Council’s Constitution, following the receipt of a motion made by at least 12 councillors, the matter was submitted for further consideration at the meeting held on 19 August.
The Council has been considering whether to move from The Deane House, off Station Road in Taunton, as the building, which is only 15 years old, has been neglected and not maintained.
The Lib Dems were opposed to that move and therefore the Tories had to rely on the support of the 3 Labour councillors, who voted with the Tories , much to the dismay of the councils employees union, UNISON.
The Lib Dems are considering their options regarding Standing Order 23, in which we have 6 months to form a motion to rescind that decision.