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Dear Editor,

As a railway season ticket holder, I am appalled by the recent above-inflation increases in rail fares.

These will contribute to traffic congestion and noise and air pollution on our roads in Kent. Government policy is failing to support the railways. The cost of rail fares rose 17% above the rate of inflation 1997-2007.

However, motoring costs declined by 8% in real terms 1997-2007 (Office of National Statistics and Private Eye). Now that petrol prices have dropped, motoring costs will drop even further.

Since the Government has ignored agreed European air pollution legislation, between 12,000 and 24,000 people die of air pollution in the UK each year. This has prompted the EU environment Commissioner, Stavros Dimas, to take the UK to the European Court of Justice.

The Government must cut its subsidy to private car use of about £13-14 billion a year and transfer these resources to the railways to keep fares down and add to new investment.

The Government should also cut its subsidy to civil aviation which is at least £9 billion a year to boost investment in railways.

Kent’s rails lines should all be electrified; the Medway Valley line and the Marshlink line (Ashford Rye) need improving; some closed lines and stations should be re-opened eg the Western and Eastern Docks stations in Dover; the Whitstable-Folkestone line.

Dr Hazel Dawe,
Chair, Kent Green Party