Train passengers face "toxic mix" of living costs as rail fares rocket again
Citizens Advice Chief Executive Gillian Guy has warned that rail passengers will struggle to meet living costs, following the announcement of above-inflation rail fare rises.
Gillian Guy said:
"People who are paying to commute by train every day face a toxic mix of high house and rent prices, low wages, high rail fares and a lack of choice. Ministers must recognise that for millions of people, even the smallest increase in regulated rail fares makes a massive dent in household budgets.
"For millions of people train travel is not an optional extra but is vital to their everyday lives. This latest big increase will add insult to injury for people who have been forced to move out of big cities like London as a result of expensive housing costs. For people living in rural communities, infrequent bus services and sky-high petrol prices mean train travel is often the only affordable and reliable form of transport.
“Despite some new optimism about the economy we are still seeing many clients struggling with an unprecedented cost of living. Chronic rises in essential costs like rail fares are forcing working families to endlessly re-budget their lives.”
The latest round of rail fare rises will give particular cause for concern in light of new figures from Citizens Advice, showing that one in five people who have suffered from problems with bailiffs are working parents.
Passengers who are subjected to poor services or delayed trains are entitled to claim compensation and can complain via National Rail or seek help at a local Citizens Advice Bureau.
Notes to editors:
The Citizens Advice service comprises a network of local bureaux, all of which are independent charities, the Citizens Advice consumer service and national charity Citizens Advice. Together we help people resolve their money, legal and other problems by providing information and advice and by influencing policymakers. For more see the Citizens Advice website .
The advice provided by the Citizens Advice service is free, independent, confidential, and impartial, and available to everyone regardless of race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, religion, age or nationality.
To find your local bureau in England and Wales, visit citizensadvice.org.uk . You can also get advice online at adviceguide.org.uk
You can get consumer advice from the Citizens Advice consumer service on 03454 04 05 06 or 03454 04 05 05 for Welsh language speakers
Citizens Advice Bureaux in England and Wales advised 2.3 million clients on 5.4 million problems from October 2013 to September 2014. For full 2013/2014 service statistics see our quarterly publication Advice trends
Citizens Advice service staff are supported by more than 21,000 trained volunteers, working at over 3,000 service outlets across England and Wales.