So how good of the Department for Transport, after a year of endless train strikes and cancellations, to hit long-suffering commuters with a near-6pc fare rise just three days before the festivities officially kick off.
True, the changes don’t kick in until March next year. The Department for Transport has capped the increase well below inflation, too, which ministers are at pains to point out is the biggest Government intervention in the rail industry since privatisation.
But come on: it is still the biggest fare rise for a decade,
No, it’s below inflation – it’s a fare cut. Relative to everything else train tickets will be cheaper. Wages rises were 6.9% – so it’s a fall relative to wages too.
Sigh.
You’re forgetting Tim, these days it’s not the facts but the feels that matter, even for the Telegraph. The feels are set to woe and misery so woe and misery will be had.
The biggest government intervention(s) in the rail industry was getting rid of Railtrack and installing the ‘not for profit’ NetworkRail then subsequently taking NetworkRail back into government hands and quietly swallowing the £35B of debt thay had racked up.
And where exactly do they think the money comes from to pay the increased wages of the striking morons and other inflated costs?
I didnt think the DfT were on strike.