RAIL passengers in Warwick and Leamington £399 better off under Labour, according to the party’s Warwick & Leamington candidate Matt Western.
He said a Labour government would put rail passengers first by putting the brakes on rapidly increasing rail fares and saving commuters an average of £1,014 on their season tickets.
He continued that under a Labour government, passengers would on average save £1,014 on their rail season tickets over the next parliament, compared to the cost under a Conservative government.
He added since 2010, regulated rail fares had risen by 27.1 per cent, increasing the average cost of a season ticket by £594.
And he said the 2015 Conservative manifesto included a commitment to keeping rail fares frozen in real terms – but regulated fares were capped at the Retail Price Index (RPI), which consistently over-estimates inflation, rather than the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
Mr Western said Labour would cap regulated fair rises at the Consumer Price Index (CPI), using the money saved through bringing rail franchises back into public ownership.
He explained as more services came into public ownership, greater amounts of savings became available, and Labour would aim to introduce further fare caps or reductions.
Mr Western told The Observer: “One popular route is Leamington to Coventry where rail users have seen season tickets increase from £844 in 2010 to £1096 today.
“The Tories have, for seven years, presided over huge increases – and under another five years of the Tories ticket prices are on course to be as high as £1292 by the end of the next parliament.
“Labour has a different plan – to bring rail franchises back into public ownership that would save commuters in Warwick and Leamington £399 over the next five years.”
