LABOUR’S transport boss has outlined his plans to make sure everyone has access to the cheapest rail tickets.
Michael Dugher, Shadow Transport Minister, was in Colchester to meet the party’s Parliamentary Candidate, Jordan Newell, as well as the party’s Clacton candidate, Tim Young.
During his visit, Mr Dugher spoke to Labour Party members and representatives from Greater Anglia on creating longer franchises - which he said would allow more planned investment.
He said: "It [longer franchises] gives a chance for longer term investment and it gives us a chance to get a better deal."
Mr Dugher also said a Labour Government would implement a "strict" cap on fare increases, adding: “Labour abolished the “flex” before the last election, but this Government re-introduced it between 2011 and 2014, allowing inflation busting fare rises. We would scrap the ‘flex’ permanently.
“That means we would not get a the ludicrous situation where we’re seeing commuters paying 22 per cent more for their season ticket from north Essex than they were in 2010.”
He added a Labour Government would make it an "fundamental right" for people to have access to the cheapest train ticket because they are not made easy to fine by train companies.
He did, though, stop short of making any spending commitments, citing a "commitment to deal with the deficit".
Asked to respond to the Coalition Government’s plans for the biggest rail upgrade in 100 years, Mr Dugher said: "The Government should be judged on what it has done in the last five years rather than what it says it will do in the next five years."
Mr Dugher was at The Hythe train station before he went to meet student Labour Party members at Essex University.
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