Train fares and Dartford Toll

Medway commuters face season ticket rises of up to £1,200 over the next four years according to the Department of Transport response to the Comprehensive Spending Review

£1,200 which is a tax on middle class commuters who will now have to pay an increase in fare's that will impact family budgets, holiday plans and shopping bills.

Instead of fares going up by one per cent more than the rate of inflation — the formula since British Rail's privatisation in 1995 — they will rise by three per cent over the cost of living from 2012 in every region across the UK.

It means that an annual season ticket from Milton Keynes will rise by £1,194 to £5,026 by 2014.

A Gillingham commuter will have to pay £4,995, a rise of £1,187.

In an attempt to mitigate the potential charges of hypocrisy Medway and Kent Conservatives led a pre-emptive strike by tabling an Early Day Motion 838 in Parliament which was dutifully picked up by the YourMedway paper.

The motion states

"Southeastern's franchise agreement with the Department of Transport has allowed increases on regulated fares of RPI + three per cent. as opposed to RPI + one per cent. for other rail franchises which has resulted in a recently proposed fare rise of seven per cent. from January 2011; understands that franchise agreements with train operating companies are to be considered as part of the Comprehensive Spending Review; and calls on the Government to apply a cap on fare rises for Southeastern that is henceforth no greater than for other franchise"

The EDM, which conveniently fits straight into the coalition narrative, is nothing but a diversionary tactic which gives no help to the average Medway commuter.

The Department of Transport response to the CSR makes clear that all train companies will now raise fares by RPI + 3% from 2012. In reality the EDM means nothing to the average Medway commuter, who will not get any mitigation for current fare increases which already stand at that level.

The justification for that fare premium during the Labour period in office was increased investment in the railways. However the government increase is to mitigate government subsidy. This is a major difference because money on fares will not be invested in stock or safer stations. It will go to the government.

YourMedway did not mention that Kent and Medway Conservatives have shown brazen hypocrisy in relation to train fares.

Over the last two years Tories have been actively campaigning for a reduction in the +3% RPI increase in train fares.

The Kent Conservatives ran a 'Fare's Fair' campaign, still fully visible on their website stating that

'The Government has imposed upon South Eastern Trains a condition to run a subsidy-free network by 2014, resulting in an average increase of 3% above the rate of inflation. The Government’s imposition of year-on-year extortionate increases in rail fares for Kent’s commuters threatens to damage the Kent economy, deterring visitors and businesses from coming here. This will do nothing to get people out of their cars and onto public transport.'

Kent Conservatives campaigned in 2009, during the recession, claiming that a 3% + RPI increase was a disgrace and would damage the economy. Yet now they remain silent.

Hundreds of commuters voted Conservative in May 2010 to keep train fares low. Organisations across Kent were backed by Conservatives to channel commuter anger and potentially harvest key anti-fare votes for the election this year.

Mark Reckless MP campaigned in March 2009, with the 'independent' Medway Fares Fair champion to reduce standard fares. The independent champion for Medway commuters, who is also an announced candidate for the Rochester & Strood Conservatives for election in 2011, refuted any bias at the time stating that the campaign had sought 'cross-party support.'

The organisation which was backed by Mark Reckless MP and Tracey Crouch MP stated in its objectives statement that:

'We are calling for Southeastern Trains to suspend their planned increases with immediate effect and bring them more into line with the current RPI, although even that will be on the high side for many. The +3% should be dropped immediately as we think it is discriminatory and unfair.'

The campaign championed the cause of a small increase in train fares on the 6th January 2009. Both Tracey and Mark backed the campaign wholeheartedly. The campaign even congratulated the two PPCs for having 'an excellent track record in campaigning on local issues for Medway residents'

Yet it now appears that the campaign remains dormant and the position of the Conservative MPs is silent. It is noted however that since the election of a Conservative Government the 'independent' group has made no public statement, including today, on the most important statement for a decade on the next 5 years of fare increases.

Another case which raises commuter eyebrows is the campaign by Tracey Crouch MP from the 27th March 2009 and 18th December 2008 on the scrapping of 'my campaign to scrap the stealth tax' Dartford Toll.

On the 15th December 2009 she announced on her blog that

'I am today announcing my support for the campaign to scrap the Dartford Crossing charges. Local residents who use the Crossing for work have been in touch and are fed up, not least because the charges were supposed to be scrapped once the Crossing had been paid for - which happened five years ago!!'

The Conservative Government has now not only kept the toll but it has been hit by a rise in the Dartford Crossing charge, which will go up from £1.50 to £2.50 by 2012

Kent Conservatives have also shown rank duplicty. Kent County Council Keith Ferrin said in 2006, that drivers are already being penalised with little benefit for Kent, and to ramp up the daily charge by 50 per cent to £1.50 would “just add insult to injury”.

Mr Ferrin said: “We will fight these increased charges. In effect, they are an additional tax on Kent motorists. It’s a bit like sticking the knife in where it already hurts."

Perhaps Kent Conservatives can clarify why they have quietly changed their minds. It is dishonest.

The double-standards of Tories will now be highlighted by Medway Labour. We all believe that elected Members of Parliament should stand by their promises before being elected and held to account.

This Kent Fare's Fair campaign, its independent sister group in Medway, and the Dartford Toll campaign are three campaigns which independent voters can link to online. Make your own judgement

We all accept that government has to make tough decisions in government as opposed to opposition. People would however give more credibility to honesty and when candidates have to undertake a u-turn for them to explain the reasons.

Commuters have been let down by Tories who are now back-tracking on campaign promises across Medway and Kent.