Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-02-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to (a) monitor and (b) help limit increases in costs for (i) airport parking and (ii) train travel.

Mr Robert Goodwill

The Department does not monitor costs for airport parking. Airports are private commercial enterprises operating in a competitive market. Any charges the airport wishes to pass on to passengers or visitors (including car parking) is solely a matter for the airport to manage and justify.

In terms of train travel, we recognise the pressure on hardworking families and have put a stop to above inflation (RPI) increases in regulated fares until 2020, extending the policy of a cap at RPI +0% for regulated rail fares we introduced in 2014. This will save the average season ticket holder £425 in this Parliament and means average earnings are outstripping rail fare increases for the first time in a decade.