Priti Patel MP pressing rail operators to improve train services
Priti Patel, MP for Witham, has called on local rail operators to improve train services and provide passengers with better value for money following today’s rail fare rise.
Priti has previously expressed her concerns over today’s fare rise, which will see commuters across the constituency pay between £136 and £188 more for their annual season tickets.
Commuters buying an annual travelcard from Marks Tey to London will now have to pay £188 more than last year, totalling £6,068. Annual travelcards from Kelvedon have risen by £180 to £5,894, from White Notley by £176 to £5,696, from Witham by £176 to £5,692 and from Hatfield Peverel by £168 to £5,544.
Commuters travelling to London without a travelcard from these five stations will see an increase of £136 to £152 this year to £4,932 from Marks Tey, £4,792 from Kelvedon, £4,644 from White Notley, £4,568 from Witham and £4,416 from Hatfield Peverel.
Priti said:
“Commuters in Essex are already paying some of the highest fares nationally and today’s fare increase will add further pressure on their pay packets. With frequent short-formations, delays and cancellations as well as engineering works closing the line on weekends, passengers are not receiving the service they pay for. Passengers deserve far better value for money and it is time they start seeing some real improvements to their rail services.
“Whilst new investment in the railway is planned with £2.2 billion secured to enhance maintenance and renew the railway in the Anglia region up to 2024, passengers rightly want to see more being done now to reverse the recent decline in service reliability. Both Greater Anglia and Network Rail need to do more to better the service on offer to passengers by limiting disruption caused by signal failures and overrunning engineering works and improve train punctuality.”
Table of Fare Increases:
| Ticket / Station | Hatfield Peverel | Witham | White Notley | Kelvedon | Marks Tey |
| 2018 London Annual | £4,280.00 | £4,428.00 | £4,500.00 | £4,644.00 | £4,780.00 |
| 2019 London Annual | £4,416.00 | £4,568.00 | £4,644.00 | £4,792.00 | £4,932.00 |
| Difference £ | £136.00 | £140.00 | £144.00 | £148.00 | £152.00 |
| 2018 London Travelcard Annual | £5,376.00 | £5,516.00 | £5,520.00 | £5,684.00 | £5,880.00 |
| 2019 London Travelcard Annual | £5,544.00 | £5,692.00 | £5,696.00 | £5,864.00 | £6,068.00 |
| Difference £ | £168.00 | £176.00 | £176.00 | £180.00 | £188.00 |
Data from National Rail Season Ticket Calculator