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Rail fares go up in Gainsborough
Lea Road Train Station
CONCERNED commuters have spoken out about the recent increase in train ticket prices - leading many to call for improvements to services and Gainsborough’s Lea Road train station.
Rail fares for season ticket holders have increased by an average of 4.2 per cent nationally as the annual price hike, announced in August, comes into effect.
Now, an anytime day return from Gainsborough to Sheffield has gone from £13.60 to £14.20 - an increase of 4.4 per cent.
Gainsborough Rail and Bus Users Group (or GRaB) has been campaigning for improvements in public transport in and around the town.
GRaB secretary Barry Coward argued that they wanted more value for money.
“The five per cent increase in fares for those travelling to and from work provokes the question what is Northern Rail giving passengers for the extra money,” said Barry. “They operate clapped-out trains, built 30 years ago, that often run late or not at all - apparently because of a shortage of staff.”
“Maybe Northern should use the increase to attract more staff. By contrast East Midlands have refurbished all 89 of their trains, many as a old as Northern’s, but we still lack a peak hour service to Doncaster so let’s hope the extra income will encourage East Midlands to provide us with an early morning train to Doncaster.”
He continued: “By contrast, off-peak rail travel for those who can plan ahead can still be very cheap. This week I will travel to London for £18.15 first class and for next week I purchased a Welwyn Garden City to Lincoln ticket for £9.20 - both with my Senior Citizen Railcard discount through East Coast Trains website as they have the cheapest ticket offers.”
A Northern Rail spokesman said: “From 2nd January 2013, our fares rose by an average of 4.8 per cent.”
“This is the equivalent of around 10-20p per single journey and will go towards meeting the costs of providing our services and funding further improvements for our customers.”
‘Travelling with Northern is often cheaper and quicker than the car or the bus for similar journeys, and will remain so in 2013 and beyond. Despite these changes, the cost of our average journey will remain just £2.24.”
He continued: “Money raised through fares goes on to invest in improvements to stations, trains and services. We understand that these are difficult financial times for our customers, which is why we will continue to work with the Government and the wider rail industry to drive down the cost of running the railway to provide better long-term value for money for passengers and taxpayers.”
Regarding the future of improvements to Gainsborough’s Lea Road train station, a spokesman for East Midlands Trains said: “We continue to invest in our stations through a £10 million station enhancement programme.”
He continued: “CCTV was installed at Gainsborough Lea Road station during Summer 2012 in partnership with Lincolnshire County Council and we will be re-painting the station over the coming year.”
It is also believed that there are plans to carry out improvement work on the platforms and canopies over the next few years.
Below are the price changes for many of Gainsborough’s most-common train journeys:
Anytime day returns:
- Sheffield – Lincoln: £15.30 to £15.90 (+3.9 per cent)
- Sheffield – Worksop: £5.90 to £6.10 (+3.4 per cent)
- Sheffield – Gainsborough: £13.60 to £14.20 (+4.4 per cent)
- Worksop – Lincoln (via Gainsborough): £13.30 to £13.60 (+2.3 per cent)
Seven day seasons:
- Sheffield – Lincoln: £61.20 to £63.60 (+3.9 per cent)
- Sheffield – Worksop: £23.60 to £24.40 (+3.4 per cent)
- Sheffield – Gainsborough: £54.40 to £56.80 (+4.4 per cent)
- Worksop – Lincoln (via Gainsborough): £52.30 to £54.40 (+4.0 per cent)
- What do YOU think of the train services in and around Gainsborough?
Do you think ticket prices are too expensive? Do you think that Lea Road station should be made safer? Would you like more facilities at the station or perhaps you’d like to see it staffed?
Get in touch and let us know.
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Weather for Gainsborough
Tuesday 21 May 2013
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 8 C to 14 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: North
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 5 C to 14 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: North west
