Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

Hi there reader
Do you find this message annoying?
Why not register and make a post to get rid of it?

[shapps]

Local MP Grant Shapps met with the Managing Director of train company First Capital Connect yesterday in order to press home concerns received from many of his commuting constituents. The meeting, which took place at the Houses of Parliament, focussed on a number of recent concerns including parking around Welwyn Hatfield stations, the closure of ticket offices and the above inflation fare increases.



Welwyn Hatfield's MP, who uses the train line to get to Parliament each day, reported "useful progress" on the various issues raised.

Ticket Office Opening Hours
First Capital Connect had recently announced that they planned to close ticket offices at Welwyn North and Brookmans Park for more of the day, sparking concern over station safety.  Following his meeting Grant said, "I'm pleased to report that there has been some movement on this issue from First Capital Connect and that amended hours of ticket office operation will ensure better coverage, particularly at Welwyn North station.

Car Parking Charges
Commuters have been complaining about the high cost of parking in First Capital Connect car parks, whilst local residents have been becoming increasingly frustrated by parking congestion on local road, particularly in Digswell, Welham Green and Brookmans Park. Managing Director Elaine Holt has provided an undertaking to go back and look at the problem once again, particularly in cases where the car parks are underutilised because of the high costs.

Fare Inflation
Commuters have been outraged by fare increases set well above the rate of inflation. The problem turns out to be that the increase which is limited to inflation +1% used the July inflation figure as its base. Since the middle of last year inflation has tumbled and some people expect deflation (negative prices) to take hold. Grant Shapps sought and received reassurances that if inflation is in negative territory next Summer, then train ticket prices could and would be allowed to actually fall. Elaine Holt confirmed that this would actually happen in reality.

Commenting on the meeting Grant said, "We have 5 stations in Welwyn Hatfield and thousands of people commute, so the service provided by the rail operator really does matter to many of my constituents. As a daily user of the First Capital Connect trains, I'm quite impressed with their punctuality, but issues relating to ticket office opening times, car parking and the cost of travel are always top of my concerns. I was pleased that the meeting with the First Capital Connect Managing Director brought some progress on each of these important issues."

The newly proposed ticket office opening times can be seen on this attachment. Click To Enlarge.

[jonmorris]

I have also met her and communicated via email with her, and she's always been a very nice person to speak to - and, more importantly, everything she has said would happen HAS happened.

[richardamullens]

Well, good news maybe - but my off peak ticket still went up nearly 11%. From £5.95 to £6.60 as I recollect.  (Senior railcard WGC<-> KX fare ) - so perhaps this is down to the government's giving the rail companies a licence to fleece the passengers.  Now, more than ever, they should be encouraging rail use.

[Flyingshop]

What a stroke of luck for FCC then. The RPI last July was 5%, the highest since 1991's 5.8%. So they could put up fares by 6%.

But, and it's a big but, by last December the RPI was down to 0.9%, but FCC hit us anyway with over 5% rises, presumably just because they could. They must be doing well in 2009, their operating costs benefiting from low inflation and lowering energy prices, plus they get to sting us with higher than inflation fare rises for a whole year!

My particular ticket to London went up over 10% - I wonder how Ms Holt would explain that?

I've no major complaints about the service, other than it would be nice to get seat more often, but the fares are way too excessive.

[jonmorris]

The fare increase (or decrease) will be set by July data again this year, hence the high chance it will be negative and mean a reduction. Elaine Holt was actually in the paper saying a week ago that she expected prices to fall.

I presume that the costs for them running the service is also linked to this formula, so they probably don't pocket the 6% increase. I have no doubt the Government makes more money, and demands a higher premium from the train operators that are paying a hefty price to run their franchises.

The way the system work is badly flawed and it would be nice to see a move towards what Scotland is doing.

[Katerina Allen]

Just for information, we've been told that Elaine Holt is retiring as Managing Director of First Capital Connect this week. The new Acting MD is Mr Jim Morgan

[jonmorris]

She's not retiring. She resigned and is leaving within a week.

I cannot say exactly why.