Rail fares increase yet again.

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Possibly the most ignorant thing I've ever read in my life.

Fuel duty, VAT, Cigarette duty, Alcohol Duty, Air passenger duty, Landfil Tax, Capital Gains to name about 8 of 300 which have increased.

Much more taxes have been raised than cut over the coalition.

My guess is that you're actually a bit narrow-minded and only considered Mr. Osbornes puny little increase in income tax allowance no ?

How many are by a signicant amount? How many have an impact on the average Joe?
Well, Fuel duty has in real terms gone down and what was that in 2011? a cut in fuel duty?;
APD may have gone up, but not actually that significantly since 2010, and then with Bands C and D being scrapped it has come down significantly for longer flights, it's what a surprise, not a massive change in real terms;
Landfill tax doesn't even [directly] impact one the average Joe, and what a surprise, no change (or perhaps a decline) in real terms;
Capital gains tax doesn't really impact your average Joe, in fact nor does the change since it was only on those in one of the higher tax bands (which has been pushed up and as of next year will have climbed faster than pay rise, although it should be triple locked);
Alcohol&Cigarette Duty, how much do you even drink/smoke? Suppose you have a couple of pints a week (which IIRC is fairly average), the Alcohol Duty comes to the grand total of £10-15 p/a, and the average smoker is also looking at only 2 figure sums. It may be something but it barely chips into the £845 the average earner is saving on the income tax;
VAT, even if your average Joe spent every spare penny they have after tax on goods that are covered by VAT the extra VAT would still be a fair bit less than the income tax savings, then of course you get that they don't do that and that a lot of what they will buy will be VAT free in the first place.

Care to give any other taxes that are so severely increased we're all dying under the burden of our taxes?

Then additionally cosnider that the total revenue has barely increased above inflation (overall) and has actually decreased as a percentage of GDP, as has that nasty thing called the budget deficit.

(edited 9 years ago)

Bull****

Original post by datpiff

Don't you mean London to Europe?

People want value for money travel that allows them to get to work. People don't generally travel to different countries each week to get to work (unless they're in the travel industry). The UK to Europe argument doesn't sell the idea of HS2 to me as a Yorkshireman.

We haven't even got a decent mass transit system yet. The basics need to be down first. We're still in Pacers up here! You don't attempt to build a skyscraper before attempting build a house.

Londoners (middle class) also may argue that fares are cheaper up here but they don't take earnings into account.

Posted from TSR Mobile

No. It links the UK to Europe.

If your parochial mind can figure a way if getting linked to Europe with a railway that somehow bypasses London and the SE then crack on with it. What are you considering? A tunnel down the east coast? Maybe a bridge connecting hull with Norway.

Feel free to take a look at a map sometime and remind your self of some basic geography. Better still, feel free to have a look at where the European high speed railways are also located.

When you say people want cheap train travel you've obviously competlly ignored the fact that that is one of the main reasons for hs2. It's to increase capacity of a rail network running close to capacity.

Spending money on some regional, under-utilised rail network isn't really going to address the bigger picture.

An upgraded railway between Sheffield and Bradford for example isn't going to magically make those towns boom towns. It would just result in a shed load of public money being spent for no real benefit. So when you say people want cheap train fairs, what your saying is that you want a cheap train fair on a under used railway, because sadly, lowering rail fairs on maxed out rail lines like the ones hs2 is being built to support, just means more chaos.

Reply 43

SecretDuck

Original post by datpiff

I don't find paying over £10 to travel on some rotten banger made in the early 80s (that were considered crap before they even made it onto the tracks) that travels slower than someone's grandma browsing in an antique shop to be great value for money.

On top of that there's a new added peak time period during weekdays to travel on some rotten banger made in the early 80s (that were considered crap before they even made it onto the tracks) that travels slower than someone's grandma browsing in an antique shop.

When I get cash I'm getting a motorbike. I'd rather risk death than use this country's awful and overpriced trains

Posted from TSR Mobile

TFL is taking over some mainline routes with Crossrail, including Reading to Paddington. And Thameslink will have new trains. All that will be done in a few years time.

Reply 44

shawn_o1

Original post by SecretDuck

TFL is taking over some mainline routes with Crossrail, including Reading to Paddington. And Thameslink will have new trains. All that will be done in a few years time.

OP will be happy in a few years when the Pacers are finally rid. He won't be happy that their replacements are 30+ year old Sprinters that used to be on services to Manchester, which in turn receive the old Thameslink trains

Reply 45

SecretDuck

Original post by shawn_o1

Thankfully I live in London, where there are at least some attempts in improving the railways. I mean we have new trains on 3 lines on LU, and new trains are being rolled out on a 4th one by 2016. Thameslink will connect Cambridge and Peterborough to the core Thameslink network by 2018. Crossrail would be done by 2018. And there's even talks about extending the Bakerloo line.

And I thought the Thameslink trains would be scrapped?

Reply 46

Quady

Original post by Sulpha

When did fuel duty get increased? :s-smilie:

Reply 47

Quady

Original post by datpiff

Have you ever ridden one of these? They are enough to make want to slice your wrist. I have even been stuck in a toilet and had to bang the door off a bit once. They're so ****. I feel like I'm travelling to a town in a third world country when I travel in one instead of Leeds.

ImageUploadedByStudent Room1417796890.834244.jpg

ImageUploadedByStudent Room1417796890.834244.jpg

Posted from TSR Mobile

I love the pacers.

They are so retro. Bet you want to get rid of the slamlock door carriages and replace the sleeper trains too...

Reply 48

nulli tertius

Original post by Quady

I love the pacers.

They are so retro. Bet you want to get rid of the slamlock door carriages and replace the sleeper trains too...

There is only one answer to that: Ryde Pierhead to Shanklin.

Reply 49

miser

I've used the train a lot and I agree it is too expensive. Overpriced, delays, threatening signs, etc. Even though half my journey is walking it's cheaper to drive. Trains in this country are appalling.

Reply 50

MatureStudent36

Original post by miser

And yet we have some of the best train services in Europe.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/road-and-rail-transport/10528441/British-trains-among-best-in-Europe.html

Reply 51

miser

Original post by MatureStudent36

And yet we have some of the best train services in Europe.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/road-and-rail-transport/10528441/British-trains-among-best-in-Europe.html

Then I dread to think what it might be like elsewhere. They had nice transport in Switzerland.

Reply 52

MatureStudent36

Original post by miser

Then I dread to think what it might be like elsewhere. They had nice transport in Switzerland.

The grass is always greener on the other side.

Generally, the rail service in the UK is reliable and good value for money compared to our European cousins.

The Swiss rail system is great. But very very expensive.

Reply 53

miser

Original post by MatureStudent36

Yes, that's true. But then everything is expensive there.

Reply 54

MatureStudent36

Original post by miser

Yes, that's true. But then everything is expensive there.

Agreed.

Reply 55

username47781

So the government want us to use more public transport yet put the prices up? logic?

Reply 56

shawn_o1

Original post by Rock Fan

So the government want us to use more public transport yet put the prices up? logic?

public transport is crammed every rush hour. So by putting up the prices to use the trains (and buses and coaches), they give the government more money (while making it still more expensive to drive to work). As one paper reviewer on the BBC said, "They've made a lot of money out of the fact that you have no choice."

Reply 57

Captain Jack

Original post by datpiff

http://www.theguardian.com/money/2014/dec/05/rail-fare-increase-2015

Soon enough rail will be an unaffordable luxury. Already rents are cheaper than paying for a season ticket in some places.

I swear that managing a rail company is a license to print money. They're sat on their throne like Prince John and the front line staff are shaking us down like The Sheriff of Nottingham:

ImageUploadedByStudent Room1417779493.235611.jpg

ImageUploadedByStudent Room1417779493.235611.jpg

Posted from TSR Mobile

I commute from Clapham in London to TSR HQ in Brighton. This news makes me want to cry :frown:

Reply 58

Rakas21

Original post by Rock Fan

So the government want us to use more public transport yet put the prices up? logic?

Because Network Rail is part funded by ticket sales and the government has given Network Rail a record budget.

A Tory government is not raising taxes to pay for new railways.

Reply 59

MatureStudent36

Original post by Rock Fan

So the government want us to use more public transport yet put the prices up? logic?

The logic is two gold.

Firstly to raise the money to pay for the required investment in infrastructure.

Secondly by keeping prices high at the moment it deters many from using a rail service that is already nearing capacity.