Rachael Maskell MP, Labour’s Shadow Rail Minister, commenting after
Abellio won the West Midlands rail franchise, said:
“With regulated fares up by 27 per cent on average since 2010 and
with further fare increases to be announced next week, it’s becoming
increasingly difficult for the Tories to justify allowing private foreign and
state-owned companies to run our railways and extract money that should be
used to improve services or hold fares down.
“When in public hands, the East Coast Mainline returned over £1
billion to the Treasury, kept fares down, had record passenger satisfaction and
had excellent industrial relations. Labour would replicate this success on the
West Midland’s franchise by bringing rail into public ownership to be run in
the interest of passengers, not profit.”
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