St Albans First Capital Connect commuters sign fares petition
Hundreds sign petition against unfair train fare hikes
MORE than 350 St Albans rail commuters signed a petition against unfair train fares last Tuesday as part of a national bid to let ministers know how unpopular and damaging year-on-year hikes are.
Fair Fares Now campaigners visited 40 key commuter stations across the country, including St Albans, during a fortnight of action to highlight spiralling rail costs.
It is a national drive launched by transport charity Campaign for Better Transport, which supports green travel but believes public transport should be affordable, accessible and convenient.
Following complaints from readers, the Herts Advertiser has also been involved in an ongoing campaign to push for an affordable, better service for local commuters from First Capital Connect.
You may also want to watch:
Fair Fares Now estimate that a season ticket from St Albans to London could cost �3,048.42 next year – a �228.42 hike.
St Albans resident, Amanda Yorwerth, local coordinator for Friends of the Earth, said the petition outside St Albans City Railway Station, “went extremely well.”
Most Read
- 1 April 12: Your guide to what can open from Monday when COVID lockdown rules ease
- 2 The latest court results for the St Albans area
- 3 What are the district's best pub gardens to visit from April 12?
- 4 Food, glorious food! Tom Kerridge's tasty menus announced for Alfresco Diner in St Albans
- 5 Shop Local: Mums team up for pop-up opening on April 12
- 6 Quarter of tenants become owners at St Albans development
- 7 Doors opening again for Harpenden retailers on April 12
- 8 'Hero without a cape' comes to the aid of Park Street resident
- 9 Turning over a new leaf as lockdown ends
- 10 Plans for 'largest film studio in the UK' revealed for Hertfordshire
Campaigners collected 362 signatures in just an hour. Amanda said that Fair Fares Now coordinators told her it was the largest number collected in such a short time.
She pointed out that commuters were concerned about fares going up because it was already expensive in St Albans. She added: “There were a lot of people who were complaining about the quality of the service. One person had been delayed for hours.”
Alice Ridley, press officer for Campaign for Better Transport, said the organisation was still collating signatures, as the petition is also available online, but thousands have signed already.
Campaigners hope to present the petition to Parliament in Autumn, to coincide with a government review into train fares.
Alice said: “We are keen to see no more increases.”