Do you agree with our readers? Have your say on these MetroTalk topics and more in the comments.
Rail fare rises are a ‘declaration of war on commuters’-says reader
Your headline ‘“Outrageous” rail fares rise’ (Metro, Mon) isn’t just news, it’s a declaration of war on commuters like me.
As an NHS admin worker travelling daily from Ashford in Kent, to London, I pay almost £7,000 a year for a Gold Card that’s a ticket to chaos. Now they want to hike fares by 5.5 per cent next year following this year’s 4.6 per cent robbery. This isn’t economics, it’s extortion.
Where is this money going?
Not into the trains. Two weeks ago my London Charing Cross service was diverted to London Victoria without warning, stranding me and an elderly couple struggling with luggage as we crawled through the back of beyond.
Not in reliability. Trains are terminated early, abandoning commuters beyond Ashford. Punctuality? A sick joke.
Not into fairness. The London weighting we NHS staff get is devoured by these predatory fares.
I know where it is going – into the pockets of train bosses banking fat bonuses (yes, I said it) while we stand on platforms watching cancellation boards scream red.
They get rewarded for failure – we get punished for relying on the carcass of a service. The government promised nationalisation would fix this.
Instead it is greenlighting over-inflation hikes while we choke on diesel fumes from replacement buses.
How dare they preach affordability as they push fares toward £7,400 a year? That’s 20 per cent of the average UK salary – for the privilege of daily misery!
We demand a freeze in fares, executive bonuses be clawed back and the money to be invested in signalling and staff plus guarantees that trains run their full routes.
To the transport secretary, Heidi Alexander, I say this – step onto my morning train from Ashford. Smell the sweat and frustration. Look the NHS workers, the students and the elderly in the eye and tell them they deserve less while paying more.
Enough is enough. Stop the theft. Fix the trains. Angela, Ashford
Raised or reduced? More on the rail fare increases
I was annoyed to read that rail fares are about to be increased. Buses and trains already run almost empty for most of the day, so fares should be reduced rather than increased.
People should be encouraged to use them. Those who do not use public transport should be made to subsidise buses and trains rather than making the roads even more congested. Adrian Appley, Bromley
Reform UK football merch proves they have ‘no more integrity than the others’ says reader
Having lost all faith in the main political parties, I adopted Reform UK. However, I am so very disappointed to learn they have produced a blue football shirt with ‘Reform UK’ on the front and ‘Farage 10’ on the back.
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This signifies they are just the same and have no more integrity than the others. Molly Neville, Sheffield
BMI and body image should be treated with more sensitivity, says reader
Paul (MetroTalk, Mon) responds to concerns about the appeal of cosmetic procedures by saying body image ‘ideals’ are based, at least in part, on ‘facts’ such as body mass index and more to do with health than beauty.
Well, apart from the fact BMI has been proven to be an often misleading tool, any decisions should be made on the advice of a competent doctor rather than the influence of social media or health ‘influencers’ preying on people’s insecurities to sell their next diet fad or surgery.
This is an incredibly sensitive topic and should be managed only by those with proper training.
I write this sincerely as someone still grappling with the effects (physical and mental) of an eating disorder caused by the want to ‘lose weight and be healthy’. Theresa, Harpenden
Are beauty standards more important than health? Reader says people only care about wellbeing ‘when it’s too late’
In response to Paul, in our modern society people are being made insecure about their beauty/attractiveness and will care about their health only when it’s too late. Mike, Manchester
