John Knight's January 2023 Talking Politics column for Macclesfield Express

25 January 2023

What do you think about the price of public transport? Given how challenging rail travel is at the moment, we don't think it's right that the Government is planning to put rail fares up in March. And it's brilliant that bus fares have been capped at £2, but why only for three months? The Campaign for Better Transport is campaigning to get the cap extended.

Public transport should be the affordable choice. When we travel by public transport, rather than driving or flying, we are helping to cut carbon emissions, air pollution and congestion.

With rising household bills, and rising global temperatures, we need affordable public transport. It's vital that we get this message to politicians. Contact your MP (David Rutley in Macclesfield or Esther McVey in Tatton), calling for: 

• The £2 bus fare cap to be extended indefinitely
• The planned rail fare rise to be delayed by a further three months
• Reform to fares and ticketing so that the greenest choice – public transport – is always the most affordable choice.

Fuel duty for motorists has been frozen since 2011, not rising with inflation. In contrast, over the last 10 years, rail fares have risen by more than 35%, and bus and coach fares by more than 65%.

Then, last year, the Chancellor cut fuel duty by a further 5 pence per litre. The cut was supposed to be temporary, but recent reports suggest that he is considering extending it for another year.

With overall fuel costs now falling, we think it would be a mistake for the Chancellor to extend the fuel duty cut. Combined with rising bus and rail fares, this would push people to drive rather than catching public transport, which is the opposite of what we should be doing for the sake of the climate.

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