RIP-OFF BRITAIN: OUR RAIL FARES ARE DEAREST IN EUROPE

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 30th Jan 2008

Britain's long-suffering rail passengers were dealt another blow recently when it was revealed that rail travel is dearer in this country than anywhere else in Europe.

Liberal Democrat MEP Liz Lynne has hit out at government transport policy, saying serious investment in the rail network is needed in order to make it an attractive alternative for the nation's car-users.

"It is astonishing that the average distance you can travel by train in this country for £10 is just 27 miles - less than half than it was six years ago; this compares to an average of 38 miles in Germany and the Irish Republic and 383 miles in Latvia!

"If this government were not fixated on the idea that road spending is investment and rail spending is subsidy and therefore to be avoided as much as possible, the recurrent issues of delays, overcrowding and overrunning engineering could be seriously tackled. How many inflation-busting price rises do passengers have to suffer while these problems persist?

"Extra government investment in the rail network could potentially help to restrict price rises while improving service and getting 'prestige' services such as the recently finished high speed Channel Tunnel link finished faster.

"While France steams ahead with its high speed network, the UK government's anti-rail culture continues and the chances of us getting a dedicated Midlands-Channel Tunnel link look evermore like a pipe dream."

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

Rail travel in Britain is more expensive than anywhere else in Europe, according to research by the Liberal Democrats. The figures show that, on average, £10 will buy a ticket for 27 miles travel by train in Britain, compared with nearly 50 miles in France and 383 miles in Latvia. Six years ago, British train passengers could travel 55 miles for £10. The figures, based on a comparison of European fares published in this year's Thomas Cook European Rail Timetable, show it costs nearly £40 to travel an average of 100 miles in Britain.

When Liz Lynne first became an MEP in 1999 there were already plans for a Eurostar service from Wolverhampton, Birmingham and Rugby via the Tunnel to Paris and Brussels. The trains were built and even appeared in the timetable, but the service never materialised.