North East commuters frustrated by rail fare rises

By Kris Jepson

Commuters in the North East of England have expressed their frustration at rail fare rises averaging 3.1 per cent nationally.

The service which operates in the Tyne Tees region, London North Eastern Railway (LNER) has increased its ticket fares by 3.4 per cent.

One rail user at Newcastle Central told ITV News "I think that’s really sad because my son-in-law actually travels everyday to York from Chester-le-Street and that’s obviously going to impound on his income."

Another said "it’s sad really that you’ve got to pay more, really, because you’re not getting any better service."

A man waiting for his train said "I think it’s outrageous, given the fact that the trains don’t run very reliably."

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Last year saw a number of issues which blighted the rail network, caused by new timetables, strikes, extreme weather and signal failures.

The group representing LNER and other rail companies said the decision to raise prices was not taken lightly.

Middlesbrough MP and Shadow Transport Secretary, Andy McDonald MP, said the fare increases are an "affront" to every person that uses the network.

Transport Secretary, Chris Grayling, argued that the government has made a "record investment" in the rail industry, which explains where much of the money from ticketing goes.