Part-time commuters miss out again in new West Midlands rail franchise
30 August 2016
Responding to the Government’s invitation to tender for the West Midlands rail franchise Lianna Etkind, public transport campaigner at Campaign for Better Transport, said:
“Passengers will hope to see benefit from proposals to introduce new Sunday and evening services, as well as to give local authorities more involvement which should strengthen local accountability and control. But it is disappointing that the Government has stopped short of specifying that the franchisee for West Midlands rail should ensure part-time commuters enjoy equal discounts to those who travel five days a week.
“Three quarters of part-time workers are women. Introducing ticketing options for people who travel less than five days a week is a start, but until the discounts for people travelling part-time are equivalent to those enjoyed by full-time workers, women and those with caring responsibilities are still faced with the double whammy of lower pay and higher commuting costs.
“With so many passengers facing overcrowding, rail companies should be rewarding people who choose to work flexibly, work from home and free up space on peak time trains. Instead, part-time commuters are penalised. We need to see an end to the current discriminatory ticketing system, and the Government has yet again missed an opportunity to do so today.”
ENDS
For further information please contact Alice Ridley on 020 7566 6495 / 07984 773 468 or alice.ridley@bettertransport.org.uk
Notes to Editors
- The Department for Transport has published the tender documents for the West Midlands rail franchise which will start in October 2017.
- Campaign for Better Transport is the UK’s leading authority on sustainable transport. We champion transport solutions that improve people’s lives and reduce environmental damage. Our campaigns push innovative, practical policies at local and national levels. Campaign for Better Transport Charitable Trust is a registered charity (1101929).
