Labour Councillors, candidates, and activists have been out campaigning across Medway’s train stations to highlight the shocking train fare rises for long-suffering commuters. The cost of train tickets has gone up once again, this year by 3.1%.

Cllr Andy Stamp, Councillor for Gillingham North and Medway Labour Spokesperson for Regeneration and Communities said, ‘One in seven trains were delayed by at least 5 minutes last year, which is the worst performance on the rail network for 13 years. Coupled with increased overcrowding on our trains, this latest set of rail fare rises is yet another kick in the teeth for Medway’s long-suffering commuters.’

Cllr Naushabah Khan, Councillor for Gillingham South and Labour Spokesperson for Housing said, ‘As a commuter the rise in rail fares is the only consistent thing about my commute. My season ticket now costs more than my mortgage repayments and the industry is still heavily subsidised by the taxpayer, and this has to change.

‘Real wages aren’t rising and commuters are paying increasingly exorbitant ticket prices for a shockingly poor service. It’s clear that this government lacks the political will to put passengers before profit, and that train services will only become affordable under a Labour government.’

Cllr Vince Maple, Councillor for Chatham Central and Leader of the Medway Labour Group said, ‘The Conservative government promised that privatisation would result in more efficient, cheaper, and better trains but ticket prices are up 36% since the Tories came in to power. The fare increases mean some Medway residents are now paying more than £6000 for their annual season ticket and this is just not acceptable.

‘A Labour government will put people before profit by capping fares and renationalising the rail services so that train fares aren’t filling the coffers of private companies, meaning we can invest in a rail network for the many, not the few.’