6% rise 'unfair'

By nhoodless

What do Chelmsford commuters think of the new fare rises?

Kevin Hubbard, 32, of Chelmsford, travels to London Liverpool Street daily.

He said: "The fares have gone up a lot this year, a rise more in line with inflation would have been more appropriate at the moment while the cost of living is rising.

"To be honest, the service we get for our money is usually quite good, it's just that when they do have mishaps they are quite big."

Gregg Lynch, 23, of Baddow Road, Chelmsford, who works for a city bank said: "The fare rise is annoying, especially as this morning the trains were delayed anyway. I don't think it is acceptable to increase fares by six per cent because I won't be getting that big a pay rise.

"It is quite a good service, but I suppose if we are going to be paying more we could have a few luxuries like air conditioned trains running all the time instead of just every now and then."

Bank manager John Egan, 36, of Moulsham Lodge, Chelmsford, commutes to Stratford, he said: "I pay £3,300 at the moment, and that includes a travel card.

"I didn't realise how much the fares were going up. I can understand they need more money to improve the networks, and bit by bit things are improving, but that is a large amount of money for people to pay out when we are all going to be struggling this year."