Gordon Brown's constituents pay less for rail tickets than we do

11.14.00pm GMT Thu 4th Dec 2008

Rail fare rip-off revealed

Liberal Democrats have reacted angrily to discovering that rail users in Welwyn Hatfield pay over 40% more for tickets than travellers in Gordon Brown's constituency.

Malcolm Cowan, Peartree councillor and county transport spokesperson for the LibDems, has exposed the way local people are being discriminated against. 'We said that when Gordon Brown and Alistair Darling brought in the new 'tax on fares' that the rail franchise system involves, that fares would rise sharply. We have been proved right, but away from the south-east of England, it's a rather different story. People travelling exactly the same distance to their capital city are paying much less, whether at peak times or for leisure.

'Here is proof positive that there is yet another rip-off of people in the south-east, just like in health spending, police spending and housing. We have uncovered Gordon's little scheme and making sure everyone knows what is going on. It's time to say enough is enough.'

Note to editors:

Comparison was Welwyn Garden City to Kings Cross with Burntisland to Edinburgh - both are 20 miles

Fares

Peak return Off-peak return

WGC to Kings Cross £12.50 £9.00

Burntisland to Edinburgh £8.90 £6.30

WGC excess +40.4% +42.8%

For further information, contact Malcolm Cowan on 01707-324723