Motorists face 5 years of misery after Jeremy Corbyn’s pledge to axe road upgrades so he can afford to slash rail fares
MOTORISTS face five years of misery under Labour after the party pledged to axe road upgrades and use road tax revenue to slash rail fares.
Jeremy Corbyn said a Labour government would scrap a planned £29billion upgrade of Britain’s creaking road network over the next five years.
That crucial money to pay for much-needed investment in Britain’s roads is currently being funded through Vehicle Excise Duty, which raises £6.5billion a year. The Tories have pledged to invest the road tax cash to help ease traffic and congestion on the country’s motorways and major A roads, as well as a £3.5billion pot for more local roads.
But the Labour leader said he would instead use the money for his latest election bung of cheaper rail fares.
He promised to reduce rail fares by a third if he wins power - claiming it would save the average commuter £1,000 per year.
But motoring campaigners accused him of stealing the money off motorists.
Howard Cox, founder of the Fair Fuel group that campaigns for a fair deal for motorists, said: “By diverting the scheduled road improvements funds to railways, they are fleecing hard pressed drivers to not only pick up more of the tab for public transport, but put up with our appalling quality roads going even further into ruin.
Labour’s policy is ill-informed and unfair
Howard Cox, Fair Fuel
"Labour’s policy is ill-informed and unfair.”
James Cleverly said this morning: "Labour are sticking two fingers up at their traditional voters, again."
Labour’s plans would also give free rail travel to all under-16s while part time workers would be guaranteed “fair” fares.
Labour has also pledged to deliver a simple, London-style contactless ticketing system across the nation.
The announcement comes two days after the rail industry announced fares will rise by an average of 2.7 per cent from January - costing some commuters more than £100 extra for season tickets.
Mr Corbyn said last night: "Travelling by train is my favourite way of getting around the country but for too long a fragmented and privatised rail system has ripped-off passengers.
"Taking back control of our railways is the only way to bring down fares and create a railway network that is fit for the future.
"Labour will bring about real change on the railways because we are on the side of passengers."
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