Thread: Train boss defends above-inflation rise in fares, BBC News

check: BBC News - Train boss defends above-inflation rise in fares for the top regional fare increases. The BBC news:

The chief executive of the Association of Train Operating Companies has defended fare increases which average 6.2% and in some cases are much higher.
Michael Roberts said the rises were part of a government policy to make rail passengers pay a greater share of the cost than taxpayers.
The hikes will also result in "more trains and better services", he said.
But Anthony Smith, chief executive of customer watchdog Passenger Focus, said many passengers would be "baffled".
Regulated fares, which include season tickets, have gone up by an average of 5.8%, but some mainline season tickets have increased by almost 13%.
Some unregulated fares, typically short distance off-peak ones, have also risen by more than the 6.2% average but the industry has not given a figure.
Tube and bus fares in London have risen by an average of 6.8%.
Speaking to BBC - Radio 5 live's Weekend Breakfast, Mr Roberts said the above-inflation fare rises were the result of a broader policy decided by the government, rather than train companies.
"At the moment, (the cost of travel) is paid for half-and-half between the taxpayer and passenger. The government policy is that the taxpayer ought to pay a smaller share of that in the future, which is why fares are going up.
"The money raised will pay for more trains to address overcrowding, better stations and quicker journeys," he said.
He admitted that "in the current economic climate, any talk of increase is clearly something people are not going to be particularly pleased with" but said rail journeys were at an "all time high since 1940s - which is a sign people are able to buy the right ticket for the right journey".
The government and London Mayor Boris Johnson say the increases are necessary to support vital transport projects.

But shadow transport minister Maria Eagle said the changes were unfair and would be a "nasty New Year shock" for commuters.
"The government have given the train operating companies freedom to fiddle the fare rises by reintroducing something which the Labour government put a stop to - flexibility.
"Which means that they can charge commuters who have to get on particular trains even higher than the already high average while charging less on little-used routes," she said.
Anthony Smith, chief executive of rail customer watchdog Passenger Focus, said: "Many passengers returning to work in the new year will be baffled about why they are paying much higher figures than the 'averages' published by the train companies.
"With the train companies again free to raise fares on individual routes, some passengers will be facing rises way above inflation and in some cases it will be back to the bad old days of double-digit fare increases."
The Campaign for Better Transport said the cost of some annual season tickets exceeded £5,000 for the first time and warned the rises would price people off trains.
It says an annual season ticket for commuters travelling on services between London and Tonbridge, in Kent, has risen by 12.7% to £5,192.
A season ticket on the First Capital Connect stopping service between Peterborough and London, which was £5,000, is now £5,320.
Regulated fares are tied to an annual price cap formula meaning fares can increase each January only by the previous July's RPI inflation rate plus 1%. This means a 5.8% average rise for 2011.
However, companies are able to put up some fares by more than 5% as long as other fares decrease at the same rate. There is no price cap on unregulated fares.
In January 2012, passengers will have to dig even deeper into their pockets when the annual price rise formula changes to RPI plus 3% across the network.