Labour councillors in the Caerphilly basin area are demanding a meeting with the boss of Arrive Trains Wales over ticket costs.
County councillors James Pritchard (Morgan Jones), Elaine Forehead (St James), Barbara Jones (St James) and Huw Davies (Penyrheol), alongside town councillors Gareth Pratt (Bryncenydd), and Faye Gaye (Porset), have jointly written to Arriva’s managing director Ian Bullock.
The group of councillors want a meeting to discuss the ticket price rises that came in at the start of this year and how journeys are banded.
The councillors argue it is unfair for the cost of travel from Caerphilly to Cardiff to be the same as it is from Pengam because the distance travelled is less. They are calling for fares from Caerphilly and Aber to be restructured.
A recent National Passenger Survey published on January 29 highlighted growing passenger dissatisfaction with Arriva Trains Wales’ ticket price with 55% of people reporting that the cost of travel was good or satisfactory, a fall of 4% from 2011.
Cllr James Pritchard said: “People living in the Caerphilly basin are paying disproportionately more per mile than passengers further up the valley.
“We believe the cost of a return ticket from Hengoed or Pengam having gone up by 25% since 2010 is too high and should not go up but from Caerphilly and Aber stations it is ridiculous and should certainly come down. Arriva Trains Wales should be looking to restructure their fares so that people living in the Caerphilly basin receive greater value for money in the future.”
Arriva Trains Wales has been asked to comment.
It is good to see this sort of `Pro-activity` by Local Councillors, on behalf of all the electorate, regardless of partisan views, and it being reported in the local press.
Assembly Member Jeff Cuthbert has been concerned about the way Arriva operate on the Valley lines for sometime, and has been working hard to moderate the systems and processes they operate as has been reported in the Observer, lets hope the collective weight of these town and County Councillors can bring about some adjustments and reconsideration by Arrive for the benefit of the Boroughs train users.
Cllr James Pritchard is correct and I hope that he and his fellow councillors are able to persuade Arriva Trains to re-think their fares. More than £6 for an 'off peak' return from Caerffili to Cardiff is steep, a similar amount paid to transport providers in London would entitle a ticket holder to travel all around London for 24 hours.
If labour are the governing party in WAG and they liase with ATW on a daily basis and authorise things like this… then why don't these councillors have words with their assembly colleagues?…