Further strike action on Southern Rail takes place this week, and the disruption this will cause for passengers is regrettable. But we won’t be misled by the industry on why the strikes are taking place. The extension of driver only operations by Southern Rail is at the heart of the dispute between Aslef, the RMT…
Virgin Trains is set to increase rail fares by 4.9% overall in 2017, compared to the average 2.3% rise across the UK. In 2015, Virgin Trains won the East Coast Main Line franchise when the line was hurriedly re-privatised ahead of the General Election, but the service has gone downhill when compared to being run…
UK passengers spend up to six times as much of their salary on rail fares than commuters using largely publicly owned railways in France, Germany, Italy and Spain. We have the most expensive commuter fares in Europe – and it’s no coincidence that out of those countries listed, we’re the only one with a fully…
“We were travelling on a Southern train from Shoreham by Sea to Southwick just after 11pm one night when the train suddenly stopped just short of Southwick. Someone had got onto the track, so the power was cut. The guards announced that the lights would be turned off to keep some power in the battery.…
A recent report by the Office for Road and Rail Regulation (ORR, 2014-15) shows that our privatised railways are still heavily dependent on taxpayers subsidies, while private train companies continue to pay out millions in shareholder dividends. In 2014-15, the government contributed a net £3.5bn to the rail industry, while private train companies paid out…
According to a survey published by Which? today, one in three commuter trains are delayed, and 7% of the 7,000 respondents were delayed by 30 minutes or more. Arriva Trains Wales came out worst with 31% of passengers being delayed. This was despite receiving around £331m in net subsidies from the taxpayer in 2013/14, while…
Buses are a life-line for millions, providing access to employment, education and training, public services and leisure activities. But instead of a world-class bus service, bus deregulation has delivered higher fares and worsening services resulting in a drop in usage. The government’s austerity agenda is also contributing to worsening access across the country. Worsening services…
A growing funding crisis in local government is threatening the future of local public services in England. According to new analysis published today in Austerity Uncovered significant cuts have already been made to statutory adult social care and children’s services – with more cuts to come. Austerity Uncovered, by the Centre for Local Economic Strategies…
To mark World Day for Decent Work on 7 October, the Playfair 2012 campaign is launching ‘Fair’s Fair – life and rights in the global sports industry’ an interactive, cross-curriculum resource for use with 9 to 14 year olds.
Secrecy is not something we would usually associate with the London Olympics. But when you try to find out exactly where Olympic mascots Wenlock and Mandeville were made in China – and the working conditions in which they were produced – the chatter and sparkle of the Games quickly becomes a dark maze of dead…