Travel takes its toll…

Jun 28 2005 By Helen Logan Evening Gazette

First plans were mooted that a pay-as-you-go system should be introduced for motorists.

Charges of between 2p and £1.34 a mile were suggested.

So to avoid that extra outlay what do you do - let the train take the strain?

Perhaps not for now the idea has been put forward that passengers should have to pay more to use crowded rush hour trains.

Rail operators say a supplement on such services will be needed if road tolls come in as there would be a massive switch by people to rail.

And the fear is that the railways won't be able to cope unless people are discouraged from using peak-time trains.

But train journeys can be expensive as it is so I dread to think how it will be if a levy is introduced.

I know there are some deals to be had like 20 quid return to London.

Fine if you can book well ahead. I had hoped to go to London for the day last week but, due to circumstances beyond my control, I could only buy a ticket just over a fortnight in advance.

To bag a bargain at £60 I would have needed to get a train at around 5am, returning at 8pm.

I tried to book over the Internet but the process was halted in its tracks and a message came up saying the problem could be that the cheaper tickets on those particular trains had all been snapped up.

When I logged back in to check that was the case.

The cost was now more than £170 for a return ticket.

And I was not prepared to pay such a price for a single day out.

Just how are people meant to get around as the aim seems to be to price them off every form of transport possible?