Now Rail Users Face Fuel Surcharge

LONDON rail commuters face airlinestyle fuel surcharges – on top of massive fare rises. In an unprecedented move, chiefs of rail companies which make tens of millions of pounds profit want to pass on the rising cost of electricity to passengers.

They say they should be able to follow the airlines and slap on a surcharge as the cost of electricity goes up.

An extra charge would be levied first on hundreds of thousands of passengers using Southeastern and Southern – which serve the busiest commuter routes in the UK. Fares increased this month by up to 11 per cent – more than three times the level of inflation.

Southeastern and Southern carry more than 200,000 commuters into Cannon Street, Charing Cross, London Bridge and Victoria every day.

Go-Ahead, parent company of Southeastern and Southern, faces a 50 per cent increase of Pounds 16 million on its electricity bill. Keith Ludeman, Go-Ahead chief executive, said: “It’s my view that in circumstances where there are extraordinary increases in costs, rail operators should have the ability to apply some sort of surcharge.”

Meanwhile, millions of rail and Tube users face travel chaos next month because of threatened strikes in separate disputes over pay and hours, it was warned today.

The Rail Maritime and Transport union announced plans to ballot 6,500 London Underground workers and 400 Network Rail signallers in Scotland.

Both ballots will close in mid-February, and any strikes could start before the end of next month. The union warned that Tube services in London and rail services in London will be crippled if industrial action goes ahead.

(c) 2007 Evening Standard; London (UK). Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.