Oral Answers to Questions

Kate Osamor Excerpts

Thursday 28th January 2021 Commons Chamber

[Kate Osborne (Jarrow) (Lab)]

What assessment he has made of the potential effect on passenger numbers of increasing rail fares by 2.6 per cent in March 2021.

[Kate Osamor (Edmonton) (Lab/Co-op)]

What assessment he has made of the potential effect on passenger numbers of increasing rail fares by 2.6 per cent in March 2021.

[The Minister of State, Department for Transport (Chris Heaton-Harris)]

This is the lowest fare rise in four years. Passengers are advised to reduce journeys as much as possible, and, as such, usage has fallen dramatically during the lockdowns. Passenger behaviours in the future are unbelievably uncertain, but a small fare rise will help to ensure that taxpayers are not unfairly overburdened for keeping vital rail services running.

--- Later in debate ---

[Kate Osamor [V]]

Train commuters using the Greater Anglia service from Edmonton Green to London Liverpool Street are set to pay £1,436 from March 2021—£436 more than in 2010. Labour has long argued that public ownership of the rail network would provide better value for taxpayers and for passengers. Does the Minister agree that the Government must stop bolstering profit for private companies and bring the network in-house?

[Chris Heaton-Harris]

No. I am absolutely sure that public ownership of the railways, if we nationalised rail, would mean that the increases the hon. Lady outlined would be way more.