Ronseal Railway Job

I have just had a chance to read the ‘command’ statement by Justine Greening MP on the railways and how her government is looking to improve the railways for Medway residents.

You can always tell when a Tory Policy is going to be full of gimmicks and hot air when they give it a ‘dubbed’ name; in this case some bright Tory CCHQ wonker called it the ‘Ronseal’ Railway plan.

The analogy and comparison with a poor quality DIY product whose slogan says 'what it does on the tin' is symbolic of the patch-job they are trying to employ; the shameful content within highlights how the Conservatives and their phalanx of Councillors will continue to put private profit over the commuter; the plan will embed and worsen the model of privatization they themselves imposed in the 1990s.

Despite all the waffle from local Tories they should be shamed to support a government which is deliberately targeting the peak-time commuter who already feels trod on by the elitist Etonian cronies, who are more used to chauffeured cars and riding horses, then giving an iota of concern for those on the lower pecking order.

It was ever thus; the Tories stamping on working families to benefit the franchises who have created the most expensive railway in Western Europe. The statement will:

• Continuing with above inflationary increases of in some case +6-12% with no introduction of flex-capping. Government have pledged to end above-inflation fare rises in 2019 which is so far in the future as to be meaningless
• The deliberate introduction of 'Super-peak' rail fares and expanding time frames for charges. Charging business commuter who has to travel more to subsidise cut in direct rail grant
• ‘Reforming rail franchises’ - involves giving longer franchises; the targets for franchise agreements are loosened so services can get worse without sanctions. People can not say rid themselves of a Connex / SouthEastern franchise for 15 years. Effectively monopolizes current TOCs as sole providers
• Strengthening the rail regulator's capacity to improve the passenger experience but no specifics on sanctions or reforming online ticketing arrangements• Providing better punctuality and real-time travel information but watering down sanctions for worsening service
• Involving rail workers in plans to get the industry on a more sustainable footing, grow jobs and develop skills; code for cutting staff and safety at stations

There are some small differences in the statement about creating one level of TOCs which can not only manage stock but also the rail stations and infrastructure themselves. In addition the creation of an Oyster system is all well and good; but like the system in London will require just as many if not more staff on the gate-line.

Justine Greening MP could have been bold and put the train user first; there are plenty of legislative options which could have been implemented had the Tories really wanted to cut fares. As it is; its more of the same old slavish devotion to the private sector; and we will all continue to pay through the teeth.

You can never trust the Tories on the railways. The mess we are in now is a direct result of the botched privatization in the 1990s.

Rail Fares at PMQs

Splitting Image warning of Tory privitisation...has to be watched...

Ed Miliband was on the right track today when he stood up and attacked Cameron over the increases in rail fares.

Rail fares are a contentious issue and this blog has been at the vanguard of exposing the absolute and eye-watering, vomit-inducing, hair-wrenching Tory hypocrisy over fares and most importantly why the Conservatives have fibbed and duped the commuter by cutting the rail grant and increasing direct cost, making the choice (and it was a choice) to scrap flex-caps.

I fully admit that Labour did not get it totally right and there is an argument for saying that fares for many were too high in 2008 and 2009.

But the argument at the time was clear; the investment to introduce HS1 and speed up rail times (which Tory Ministers now conceed is necessary in terms of HS2) and to improve rolling-stock, stations and security after years of chronic under-investment under the Conservative-awarded franchise Connex.

And dont let the Tories fool you on rail fares; because they are the culprits.

Rewind back to 2006 (only 6 years ago) and we saw the Tories finally apologise over the monstrous act of privitisation unleashed upon the public by the Major government.

Remember within seven years of the Conservative privitisation the railway was costing the taxpayer three times what it had cost before de-nationalisation (up from £1.3bn to £3.7bn). In the 1980s, fares covered 76% of rail costs, in 2006 42%.

The reason why fares in the UK are so eye-watering when compared with Europe is directly because of the Tory privitisation in the 1990s mentioned above. Other countries have state-owned rail and were able to manage cost; the Tory design of a myriad of complex Whitehall sub-contracts and punitive get-out clauses made it too expensive to re-nationalise (deliberately designed by the way). The establishment of a separate track company destroyed management discipline, unleashed a nightmare in infrastructure costs and proliferate litigation and regulation and your fares have gone up ever since.

The privatisation was the biggest Conservative failure on a national infrastructure programme ever.

Add into this mix the conveniently forgotton Tory-driven Connex franchise; many of the Tory Councillors in Medway moan about service now, but forget (mainly as many arent actually from Medway) that it was truly god-awful under the previous franchise.

The full scale of the Tory-franchised incompetence can be read here in a special Parliamentary report no less. This report is utterly utterly damning on the franchise, made all the more real by the fact it has been the only franchise in history to require re-nationalisation. These people were fiscally inept and duped the public; and they were quite literally playing with commuters lives.

Essientially the Tory franchise deliberately and maliciously hid the state of its finance which led to the SRA compulsory termination of the contract. It was operating at a loss with massive irregularities caused by an unsustainable model over 10 years. If you read reports at the time was putting passengers lives at risk; one only need to take a look at the Health & Safety record,

The Tories are so very happy to ignore history; to conveniently forget that SouthEastern inherited a network woefully starved of investment which had been fragmented and weakened because of there own botched incompetence.

Fares did go up; but the utterly shameless Tories then had the nerve only one year later to jump on the fact that Connex was allowed a concession for RPI+3% to invest in the same railways the franchise they awarded had just destroyed.

It is so utterly shamlesss that you have to admire the audacity

Fast forward to this week and you can see a genuine attempt by Labour to re-evaluate fares; we called for SouthEastern to return to 1% RPI and it happened after lobbying. The pledge to re-introduce fare-capping on all services in addition to the Labour transport five point plan on ticket pricing is a genuine and plausible alternative in the current climate. I suspect the Conservatives will steal all our policies but the fact remains that it is Labour that are raising this up the agenda with the support of commuters and the Trade Unions.

The fact that Ed raised the issue today on fares is symbolic. To Labour the improvement and best management on the railways has always mattered. We opposed the privitisation in the 1990s and we inherited a mess which had to be fixed. The reason why fares are and remain high is because of the Connex franchise and the mess left.

Lastly, the spin that Labour had planned to lift fare capping is utterly trite. The Conservatives had a choice in the Comprehensive Spending Review on rail to suggest another agenda (remember at the time the rumours of RPI+5% or RPI+7%).

The Tories chose to remove the cap and that was a government decision; just as the Conservative government has been pushed by opposition to reduce fares to RPI+1%.

No matter what the Tories spin on rail the independent facts stand for themselves.

Only a fool would not learn from history. This mess is the legacy left by them from the 1990s and for that they can be never forgiven

Back on track

Connex - The failed Tory profit-making franchise

Over the last couple of months have been working with colleagues on a number of potential solutions to reduce rail fares.

One of those that could be actively considered by Labour is the co-operative or social partnership model.

Some of my ideas below (policy suggestions)

Retain Network Rail in government hands

The model inherited by Labour in 1997 was fragmented and allowed the Tory-driven agenda of profit making into public services. The slavish devotion to profit leading to unsafe tracks and millions to be spent later as Labour had to fix the broken system. Never again.

Retain Network Rail in its current format as a not-for-profit enterprise and extend the principle.

Introduce not-for-profit Social Partnership / Co-operative train franchises

The not-for-profit model was adopted by Labour for Network Rail (see above) in the early-2000s.

The Labour principle could be extended and widened to franchises. Private or indeed state-owned franchises managed in tandem with local authorities or a collection of authorities which could manage it as an arms-length limited company.

This is not a socialist fantasy. Transport for London currently manages buses in a similar manner and the principle could easily be extended.

Transport Commissioners could be elected to manage bus and trains.

Either way retaining the efficiencies and management of the private sector whilst keeping prices down through removing the profit motive. A democratic mandate driven via the elected commissioner.

The Tories have always thought marketisation is the way to solve the probem; and they are ideologically wedded to this argument. Suggesting the creation of regional transport boards as limited companies with an elected leadership could be the solution.

Tickets

Scrap the glut of different types of railcards and introduce one single discount rail card (which would get discount; [over 60s (link with buses), students (NUS), forces (Military), AND income tax bracket)]. Income related ticket would require registration with certificate from HMRC on tax code / income as proof. Income tapering would remove the inherent bias on fares against poorest. It could be introduced into current system easily. Currently students and forces have to provide evidence.

Remove the different type of tickets and match online and ticket office prices

Technology

Passengers should be allowed to purchase season ticket online via ebank accounts or via direct debit monthy installments with discounts for collection at station kiosks. Already in part introduced but system is cumbersome.

Rail franchises should move towards touch-in touch-out system, linked to credit/debit card as ticket. Initial outlay paid for by bank loans on future income accrued from accounts using system. Offer reduction in price for online renewal so reducing station queues.

Your debit/credit card would then become the season train ticket.

Refunds

A suggestion that could be immediately implemented is days-in-lieu added on renewal equivalent to delays, calculated for previous month or year. This would not require a complex repayment system for season-ticket holders just a % calculation of journeys delayed on average and equalise that to days. Therefore a month with 10% delays would get free 3 days added to next months season ticket.

An annual ticket where the year previous has 10% delays would a month free.

Could be introduced with current technology with basic calculations. Customers would then feel they would be getting money back

Individual ticket holders entitled to online vouchers or 20% immediate refund at end station without having to complete complex form

If you loose annual / monthy season ticket should not require lengthy process of form filling. Immediate over-counter renewal possible

Company rail card

Encourage companies to mass purchase rail cards for staff and deducted via salary. Companies offered incentives to do so.

e.g. Those that register could be entitled to NICs deduction on employer contributions to encourage registration. Companies could retain profit on delays so recouping organisational loss for delays in lieu of payment. Bulk discount purchase would reduce cost-impacts

Income Generation from alternate sources

Stations should be centres for energy micro-generation / recycling. Solar panals, wind. Land owned by rail at sides is unused currently. Stations could be fitted to be energy self-sufficient and supply grid.

Government subsidy of solar specifically targeted on transport nodes invested through Green investment bank.

Paper recycling could be sold on the market

Nationalised Network Rail should own all stations and manage stock centrally so pooling efficiencies of scale and bargin-power negotiaton on contracts. These could then be tendered en-masse in auction process to coffee-chains, newsagents and services within. Asset must remain in public hands. Proceeds kept for station improvements.

Democratic Accountability

Local Authorities should establish transport user groups which should be able to scrutinise regional franchises. Transport company bosses compelled to report to Council Scrutiny Panels. These could report into regional LEPs

The next level up would be to have an elected transport commissioner and a regional transport quango with powers to commission and manage transport costs. This in reality be a small team but be democratically accountable. Transport for London with powers over rail is an example.

Rail fare increases

Legislation introduced to state average fares should not be an more than the average wage gain in the economy. This would mean investment in good times and not in recession. Follows cyclicity in economy and fairer.

Any increases above annual wage must be met 2:1 by equal government subsidy if the investment argued pursued by transport commissioner. This ensures affordability, will track economic indicators and when fares go up by more than average that government has to pay 2:1 more as a result. Of course whoever puts up the fares is at political risk.

Additional Perks: Value for Money

Rail Season ticket holders should be allowed option to top-up to include regional bus season / cinema / theatre tickets at a reduced rate so conferring other benefits.

In reality this could be linked to a credit/debit card deal. Could also be linked with other transport services / points system like BA.

This would disassociate the cost. A nectar card deal for instance could see reduced cost on season ticket or spending £50 on fuel in Sainsbury gets you £30 off. Let the companies do the slack; let the government or transport boards auction.

The above are positive solutions for the individual commuter above but we also need to make the tough calls on cost reduction. The immature amongst the right wing will attack this, I can imagine the comments now, but we do need to have a rationed debate.

Immediate cost savings and tax ideas

All train services on Sundays scrapped from non-core stations with hourly bus services from hub stations. (e.g. Chatham in Medway). Inter-city services between major cities retained but only to hub stations if desired. The hubbing of trains could see services run from the HS1 spine in central Kent from perhaps 3 or 4 core stations. Suggestions would be regular bus services from Medway station (Chatham) into Ebbsfleet International every 40 minutes - bus journey would take 20 minutes or so. From Ebbsfleet a 20 minute journey into London.

This would be unpopular but also allow allocated time for fixed track and works so steam-lining engineering contracts; cost reduction of not having unprofitable services on Sunday. Train usage on Sunday is minimal but yes it would hurt some.

Introduce VAT on air travel for all domestic flights and use subsidy to invest in rail. This will have impact of reducing unnecessary flights and allow investment in rail.

Fare Fail: Send your message today?!

This blog is supporting the FareFail campaign against the Conservative-led government which has let down the commuter and rail user.

Despite all the hot air prior to May 2010 we have seen eye-watering increases in fares on both Medway trains and buses. The Tories have simply let the commuter down because they have cut the direct transport grants; they are therefore not only charging the fare user more, but commuters get less investment. It is unfair.

Medway Labour has been consistently leading on opposing fare increases with a campaign event only in mid-December at Chatham bus and train stations. Labour have been speaking with residents who are sick and tired of the lame excuses on transport; sick of botched £10m Tory bus station and the eye-watering bus fares, sick of the train fares swindle which they were promised would not happen by Tory Councillors and PPCs prior to May 2010.

Medway Labour have also been working closely with Maria Eagle MP and the Labour transport team on developing new policies for train users so that we can once again champion the cause of commuters. The party that stood up against the reckless privatisation in the 1990s which destroyed the railways and left a fragmented and dangerous legacy - You can never trust the Tories on rail.

This blog has also exposed the utter hypocrisy of Conservative MPs who are happy to spend taxpayers money subsidising their own rail and car travel at your expense. These same Tory MPs are now trying to change the IPSA rules so that you cant hold them to account on transport

You can send a message to the multi-millionaire and out-of-touch cabinet of Conservatives who may indeed have chaffeur driven and subsidised cars in government, but can not and should not ignore the rest of the public who are expected to get to out and work.

In 2012 our overpriced rail fares have been hiked again.

Our trains are already the most expensive in Europe.In three years time ticket prices will be 24% more expensive than now, yet passengers continue to be stuck with overcrowded, unreliable trains, with less staff on trains and less staff at stations.This Tory-led Government is taking us further and further away from the value for money train service we all need.

Are you sick of paying hundreds of pounds extra each year to get to work?

If so back the FareFail campaign and send a message to the out-of-touch Tory elite in government.

Fare-ly reflecting history

A number of newly local Conservatives have a habit of ignoring railway history when they blame the former Labour Government for fare hikes. This is either because of a lack of intellectual capability to grasp the issue, or indeed a policy of obfiscation of responsibility.

It is worth looking at the underlying causes of fare increases over the last couple of years and also why the current fare hikes are not a continuation of Labour Policy at all, but instead reflective of a Conservative ideology which is trying to remove the tax-payer and tax the rail-user. An inherently Conservative notion of putting the pain on the individual user whilst undermining collectivism and communitarianism on the railways.

An ideology which destoyed the railways before, is once again being used to undermine them again.

The privatisation of British Rail was set in motion when the Conservative government enacted, on 19 January 1993, the British Coal and British Rail (Transfer Proposals) Act 1993. This enabled the relevant Secretary of State to issue directions, as to the disposal of assets, to the relevant Board. This was necessary since (in the case of the British Railways Board) they had to act, at all times, within the rules established by various Transport and Railways Acts – none of which would have allowed the Board to 'sell-off' any of its assets.

The subsequent direction from the Conservative Party Secretary of State forced the creation of Railtrack PLC. This then paved the way, later that year for the Railways Act 1993 introduced by John Major's Conservative government. The operations of the British Railways Board (BRB) were broken up and sold off.

This process was very controversial at the time, and the Labour opposition announced its intention to re-nationalise the railways, although this was not implemented by the subsequent Labour government due to huge cost barriers placed into the contracts by the Conservative Government

The Tories have admited liability for this monumental failure so it is with tongue-in-cheek that they blamed Labour for fare increases whose seed was sown by their own destructive lack of judgement.

Chris Grayling, admitted that the 1996 split of the rail industry into track and train components was a mistake which had increased costs:

"We think, with hindsight, that the complete separation of track and train into separate businesses at the time of privatisation was not right for our railways. We think that the separation has helped push up the cost of running the railways - and hence fares - and is now slowing decisions about capacity improvements. Too many people and organisations are now involved in getting things done - so nothing happens. As a result, the industry lacks clarity about who is in charge and accountable for decisions."

Labour however did not do everything right. Despite the fact that Tony Blair's "New Labour" Government, in principal, wanted to ‘re-nationalise’ the railways (and little wonder, in view of the ‘unhealthy’ state of the privatised industry they had inherited), this policy had to discarded out on the grounds of its estimated £22 billion price-tag.

The SRA failed to have any lasting impact on the rail network due to the fact the Conservative privatisation was so vast in scale and scope it left a totally inept system of management.

The Hatfield Crash left Labour with very few options, but a decision was made to nationalise the railway infrastructure and spend billions on improving railway safety Over the following years the infrastructure did improve and so did train punctuality. Under Labour, 1.32 billion passenger journeys were made on the national rail network in the calendar year 2010 - a rise of 6.9% compared to 2009 and 37% more than in 2000. This total approaching a peace-time record, with such figures not having been witnessed since the early 1920's

The problem of ticket pricing however became unresolvable as it become increasingly clear that the Tory privatisation was not actually profitable for private companies at all; the entire rationale for the privatisation was utterly flawed, and ever since the government has effectively had to subsidise billions to unprofitable private train companies. The idea behind the privatisation was to take the politics out of the railways; what a monumental Tory failure that has been.

The story of SouthEastern trains is complex but to cut story short the previous Conservative Government awarded the Southern Central / South Eastern contracts to Connex which was originally supposed to run until 2011. The company made some serious strategic and financial mistakes, to such an extent that in June 2003 the Strategic Rail Authority decided to cut the South Eastern franchise short at the end of 2003, citing poor financial management and "a serious loss of confidence... in the ability of the company to run the business in its widest sense".

Connex had run a business model of lower fares, lower investment, higher numbers. Years of underinvestment and poor services resulted.

The government nationalised the Connex franchise in 2003 but was left with a mess. Not only were South Eastern railways in a parlous state but the carriages and infrastructure were simply not fit for purpose either. The polls at the time indicated that railusers would be happy to invest in better trains and railways and a decision was made by government to dramatically increase the government Rail Grant for the newly nationalised franchise.

The government however made the position clear that an increase in tax-payer subsidy must be matched by fare increases of RPI + 3%. This was unique on the railways at the time because of the poor state Connex had left our railways and the requirement for investment.

The RPI + 3% increases were believed to be manageable with inflation at historic lows but a timelimit was set for 2011/12. The fare increases were used to pay for new train carriages, better stations and the development of the HS1 network. Investment was prioritised and from 2003-2008 we did see huge improvements in punctuality, rising train numbers and a reduction of major crashes (across the entire UK network).

When the crash happened in 2008, the Conservatives in the South East sensed an opportunity to appeal to marginal voters by opposing fare increases of +3% RPI stating they were not only unfair when compared with other areas but also harming business. Tory PPCs, Council candidates and sympathisers used the bully-pulpits of elected Council offices to undermine SouthEastern trains for political gain whilst ignoring the causes of the problem and the logic for the fare rises in the first place.

It succeeded as public pressure focused relentlessly on the company and its performance. From a purely partisan position this was a very sensible campaign strategy. The problem is it utterly ignored, or actually conveniently ignored the entire history of the problem which is primarily Conservative mismanagement. It also deliberately manufactured and harvested public discontent for a political outcome; the election of Conservative Councillors and MPs.

It worked. On the back of supporting transport campaigns across the South East; cutting fares, cutting Dartford Toll and supporting Fuel Duty Stabilisers; the public put their trust in Conservatives.

But what has happened since is a dereliction of duty.

Once in office the Tories in 2010 they cut the Rail Grant investment into the railways as part of the DfT budget settlement, and not only retained the 3% RPI increases but extended it across the entire UK rail network. The fare payer thus paid more (across the UK) but the money does not go to improved services but to mitigate the cut in grant; the argument behind fare increases under the Tories is thus entirely different.

The Tories also removed 'flex' so allowing franchises to increase costs in high volume areas to mitigate increases in low volume areas. The Labour Party time-limit on 3% RPI was extended from 2012 to 2015 with fare increases laid down over the entire Parliament in stone, ignoring any economic factors such as a lack of growth or economic recovery.

We are now in a situation where growth and the economy has not recovered due to George Osborne cutting too far and too fast. Inflation is rampant and the Tories have locked themselves into increasing fares which is why we are now paying the price and why the increases ignore all logic.

Labour did make some mistakes; it should have acted more quickly after taking office in 1997, though I do believe Blair wanted to limit the impact on the public purse of having to re-nationalise at a time when we were trying to balance the books from the 1991-93 recession. Labour should have kept an eye on Connex and perhaps cancelled the franchise earlier; it also should not have allowed the franchise to return to the private sector. It could also have been more aware of the financial constraints of commuters from 2008-2010 in terms of the recession and could have made moves to ameliorate these impacts.

Make no mistake however, when compared with the actual policy outcomes of Tory decision-making the above would have been tinkering around the edges of the problem. Had Connex lost its contract in 1999 Labour would still have inherited a mess. Fare reductions in 2008 would have impacted the ability to roll-out HS1. These are small issues when compared with the botched privatisation of not only the railways infrastructure but also to Connex as a provider in the first place.

For the Tories to claim the railways and fares are a mess because of Labour is a complete lie. It is re-writing of history to fit a right wing narrative which is utter rubbish

These fare increases are also utterly wrong because they are not about investment at all; which is what the original 3% RPI fares were for. They are also prohibitively high given inflation at the moment is rampant. The Conservatives have got it wrong (again) on trains and sadly we will all suffer from their utter arrogance once again.

All governments accept blame but this mess of the railways is a Conservative creation and the current fares fiasco is also a direct result of Tory ideology.

They like to play with the railways but they dont have a clue about how to run them.

Off the rails?

Medway commuters and residents are fed up with the utterly useless representation on transport and train fares from our current MPs, who have once again failed to have any leverage over the Department for Transport on matters which impact thousands of residents.

The Tory ineffectiveness on transport comes after VAT increases in petrol, the prospect of a Cliffe Airport (after three years of suggesting there were no plans), pot-holed streets and perceived gerrymandering of road budgets into Conservative wards, a million pound overspend on the Chatham Bus station and regeneration works and the Dartford Toll increase and threat to Medway Tunnel. Medway residents are left wondering; what the hell is going on. It is transport incompetence at an altogether different level.

Local MPs have resorted to soothing words and toothless EDMs which have received little support amongst colleagues. The Mark Reckless EDM wasnt even signed by fellow-Medway constituency MP Rehman Chisthi, which makes a mockery of the entire process.

Mark Reckless MP even had the audacity to claim that because everyone has to pay 3% RPI fares that this is a win for Medway residents. Simply off the rails...

Meanwhile local Tories can not bring themselves to accept the facts that despite jumping on the proverbial trainwaggon before May 2010, that these fare increases stink of right-wing hypocrisy of the highest order. They have hit the buffers.

Medway Conservatives campaigned to scrap the 3% RPI settlement and not keep it. Medway Conservatives campaigned to cut fares, not raise them by 13% annualised. We had surrogate campaigns managed by now Tory Councillors who waxed lyrical about train fare rises under Labour, but who have cut the chat despite it being even more necessary now with inflation being so high.

Medway Conservatives have failed miserably on fares trying to pin blame on everyone else but themselves. If you could not deliver on this promise then tell people prior to the election; dont go into the General Election on a pledge to cut fares whilst then doing an abrupt turn.

Once again the tired old excuses are trotted out about it being 'Labour Policy' - they have been in government now since 2010; they could have changed the train fares policy and the franchise arrangements. Not an excuse which washes now we are further into the government; people can smell Tory hypocrisy even more than last year on fares.

The simple fact is the local Tories have played another bandwaggon, like the Dartford Toll campaign, only to be caught with absolutely no authority what-so-ever to do anything about it.

The fact is stabbing Medway commuters in the back will carry "economic and political consequences" for the government as all polling suggests these traditional floating voters will snub Conservative candidates and representatives in future elections.

Across the UK, from next year season tickets will rise by the rate of retail price index inflation plus 3% until 2014, with room for a further 5% increase on some services. With the RPI due to hit 5% next week, commuters face a 13% increase on certain routes – to the dismay of passenger groups, environmental lobbyists and trade unions.

In addition, Theresa Villiers fibbed on the investment argument claimig this was because of rail investment; which is an argument local Tories spent time attacking prior to May 2010. The difference though is that the Rail Grant is being cut just as fares go up. Therefore there is no extra money going into rail just a change in where the income is sourced. Instead investment in rail will go down in real terms so meaning even worse conditions for rail users.

If you cant trust her on rail. What about Cliffe Airport?

In addition the Department for Transport has confirmed that it will retain the so-called flex system, which allows rail companies to average out fare increases across a basket of tickets instead of applying uniform price increases. Under this framework, a further 5% can be added to the RPI + 3% hike on certain fares, provided that the total increase within that batch of fares is in line with the official limit.

Medway commuters need only remember this Tory fare increase. From because of ineffective representation from MPs Mark Reckless, Tracey Crouch and Rehman Chisthi you could pay an extra £445.41 with a combined bill of £3,769 for your annual commute.

The same MPs who sit amongst Conservatives in Kent who are fleecing the tax-payer of huge sums of money on subsidised rail and car transport.

As that debit card goes into the slot; just remember what you are paying for and why

Will they stand up for commuters?

It is coming close to crunch time for the new intake of Medway Conservative MPs. Crunch time because as parliamentary candidates all three of our MPs courted the anti-fares brigade who championed the cause of commuters against the backdrop of ever increasing train fares.

Hundreds of commuters voted Conservative in May 2010 to keep train fares low. Organisations across Kent were backed by Conservatives to channel commuter anger and potentially harvest key anti-fare votes for the election this year.

Mark Reckless campaigned in March 2009, with the 'independent' Medway Fares Fair champion to reduce standard fares. The independent champion for Medway commuters also now happens to be a Council candidate for a Conservative ward in 2011.

The campaign to keep fares low was also backed by Tracey Crouch MP who championed the cause of a small increase in train fares on the 6th January 2009. She backed the campaign wholeheartedly. The campaign even congratulated the two PPCs for having 'an excellent track record in campaigning on local issues for Medway residents'

Rehman Chisthi MP also campaigned outside Gillingham station in 2009 as a PPC against the increase in train fares. He pledged to '2 cut train fares' to his constituents before being elected.

This blog supported the investment in our railways and supported a manageable increase of rail fares. It supported manageable increases to increase investment in modernised train stock, safer and modern stations and for better pay for low paid staff. It was challenged by Conservative campaigners for doing so.

It is now for Conservative MPs to deliver to commuters like they promised whilst in opposition and keep train fares low.

This blog will hold the same people who channelled the anger at fare increases to account.

We will soon find out soon whether our Medway Conservative MPs have the ability to keep increases at manageable levels. We will soon find out whether the independent campaign is truly independent.

This blog suspects that the Tories will deliberately target commuters to fund over-aggressive cuts

According to press reports, the Department of Transport is about to sanction eye-watering increases in train fares. A worry to hundreds of hard pressed middle class commuters who are currently struggling. Thousands of rail passengers across Medway face higher than expected annual fare rises of up to 10 per cent as the Government considers scrapping the formula for raising ticket prices.

If our Conservative MPs can not secure a below inflationary increase in train fares as they promised to their voters then Medway Commuters will feel betrayed.

It is a concern that the public opposition has ceased in favour of private conversations with transport ministers. It is a concern that commuter concerns have been ignored as they continue to commute every day.

The increase in fare's will prove once and for all whether Tories were paying lip service to commuter concerns or whether they were genuinely interested in campaigning for the commuter. We will find out soon enough.

Update - 06/10/10

As if by chance the Campaign for Better Transport released a poll yesterday which was picked up by the Metro this morning.

According to the CBT there are hints that the Tories are to target middle class commuters who are already 'paying way over the odds'.

The report suggested that fares are going to be increased markedly because of the decisions made in the spending review to sanction over-aggressive cuts. It is suggested that the Government will raise the current cap on annual fare rises from 1% to 3% above inflation which is against the stated aims of the Medway Conservative PPCs prior to the General Election. The CBT calculated that if fares kept rising at this level every year to 2015, passengers could be paying 37% more for most tickets by the next general election.

That translates to £1,700 extra for an annual season ticket from Hastings to London! The daily trip from Brighton to London would rise by £1,164 to £4,268, while Gillingham commuters would be forced to find £5,236, an increase of £1,428 on the current fare.

The YouGov Polling for the CBT entitled 'Commuters - would you take this lying down?' shows that 74% of regular rail users in London and the South-East could switch their support away from political parties that introduced an increase in the cap on rail fares. And their votes could make all the difference in key battleground seats in London and the Home Counties.

As if by chance Tracey Crouch MP has written on her blog yesterday that her 'recognition of the hard work the low paid staff do to make sure that the Chatham train user is safe, has been interpreted as an endorsement of Southeastern.' That is not the case. We all want safer train stations, cleaner trains and modern rolling stock but we also want our MPs to fulfil campaign pledges on fare increases.

It does appear though that Tory MPs are trying to have their cake and eat it now they are in government. For anti-fare campaigners, closely aligned to Conservatives who supported them, to sit silent whilst these fares could increase by eye-watering levels shows the state of mind of the current Conservative Party and its activist base.

Why should the public have any confidence that Medway Tory MPs should be held to their word? They have been shameless about child benefit cuts, VAT rises and NHS re-organisations. It seems the manifesto is not worth anything. Promises have been casually ignored.

Commuters will not stand idly by as we suffer exorbitent increases in fares after copious promises by Tories prior to the General Election.

We are yet to see the outcome from the Department of Transport and this blogger is jumping the gun because it believes that Medway Tory MPs should be under no illusion about this when they meet Theresa Villiers. We expect them to deliver on campaign promises.

As if by chance, Mark Reckless has, coincidently, added this to his blog.

Medway Tory MPs were elected on the express promise of small increases in train fares to commuters. If fares do go up by the 37% over five years then surely they must expect the average Medway commuter just to be perhaps, left to feel, well, lied upon for their vote!