Labour fails to rule out fare rises under rail nationalisation plan

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The shadow transport secretary has failed to rule out that fares could become more expensive under Labour’s plans to nationalise the railways within five years. open image in gallery Keir Starmer and shadow transport secretary Louise Haigh at Hitachi Rail in Co Durham “At the moment passengers have to contend with a dizzying array of different types of tickets and fares and it means they simply don’t trust that they are getting the best value for the journey.” She added: “Obviously our ambition would be to make fares far more affordable but we really think that one of the things that is keeping passengers off the railway at the moment is the fact that they simply don’t trust or understand the way fares are modelled and that is why simplification is our first priority.” Sir Keir Starmer said Labour would also end the “boom and bust” cycle for the rail industry, adding that workers at UK-based train makers were “staring down the barrel of devastating job losses”. Labour will give rail manufacturing across Britain the secure, bright future it deserves.” open image in gallery ‘Simplification is our first priority,’ says Louise Haigh The Conservatives said Labour’s plans were unfunded and left open questions about the cost to taxpayers. But Labour won the backing of chief executive Keith Williams, who carried out a review into the railways for ministers and said Labour’s proposals would “take forward the substance of my recommendations to deliver a better railway for passengers and freight”.