LNER ticket machines at King's Cross (Photo Tony MIles)

UK: The Campaign for Better Transport charity has published a general election manifesto setting out its transport asks for the next government.

For the rail sector, it says the next government should:

  • reform ticketing, freeze fares while fuel duty remains frozen, base annual increases on the consumer price index rather than the retail price index, ensure a best price guarantee at all sales points, create consistency for cost and availability of off-peak, super off-peak and season tickets as well as railcards, cap peak fares at 20% above off-peak fares, roll-out single leg and multi-modal ticketing with capped pricing across all city regions, and work towards a national interoperable model;
  • establish an arms-length integrated rail body;
  • prioritise key rail freight upgrades and infrastructure improvements;
  • set ambitious targets for electrification;
  • match existing trains to electrified routes and develop an ongoing pipeline of new train orders;
  • progress infrastructure projects to enhance connectivity and reliability including Northern Powerhouse Rail, East West Rail and the Ely Junction upgrade;
  • revive the northern legs of High Speed 2, or implement alternative projects that increase capacity on the most congested parts of the network;
  • ensure that all communities over 30 000 people have access to a station with a regular service;
  • encourage competition on the railway and support the approval of more open access operators;
  • develop an international rail strategy to ensure the UK is directly connected to more cities in Europe.

‘Whatever the result of the forthcoming election, we need to ensure that creating a fairer, more sustainable transport system is top of the agenda for the next government’, CBT’s Silviya Barrett said on June 6.

‘Prioritising investment in public transport, shared travel, walking and cycling with a commitment to reduce the number of car journeys should be a priority, for the sake of communities, the economy and the planet.’

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