CUMBRIAN MP SLAMS INSULTING RAIL PRICE HIKE

Today, Westmorland MP Tim Farron, has said he is 'dismayed' by the 5.9% increase in rail fares.

The Cumbrian MP has said that he understands that the rail companies must make an income but to raise the prices to such a degree when the train services have seen no improvement is 'insulting'.

Rail companies have overseen consistent disruption along the West Coast Mainline for some time. For example, in August last year, passengers were locked inside Oxenholme station at midnight due to a failure from Avanti to properly staff the station.

Tim has written to the Rail Minister and the Secretary of State for Transport to demand answers on why decisive action is not being taken for rail companies failure's. He writes: "How many chances do you need to give rail operators before you will take decisive action?

"It is clear that recovery plans are just worthless pieces of paper as passengers are certainly not seeing much needed improvement.

"It is appalling that you seem caught in the headlights of inactivity when you have all the evidence you need that the rail services are failing passengers in every aspect of punctuality, reliability, frequency and value for money."

Tim has asked both the Rail Minister and Secretary of State for Transport to demand answers on why rail companies have not been held to account for their failures