Brighton Greens will hold rallies at all three of the largest local railway stations on Friday (2 September) in the biggest Fair Fares demonstration yet seen in Brighton and Hove.

The Green Party, which is backing the national Fair Fares Now campaign (1), will be petitioning and waving placards in protest at the Coalition Government's recent announcement to allow rail fares to rise on average by 8% over the next year - and 28% over the next four years.

Pavilion MP Caroline Lucas, who will be protesting at Central station on Friday along with Councillor Lizzie Deane, said:

"These fare increases are the latest in a series of unfair and unnecessary price hikes to hit Brighton's train passengers.

"We already pay some of the highest fares in Europe, and under successive governments, we've seen public transport fares increase while services have failed to improve.

"For many, travelling by train has already become an expensive luxury.

"The Government must urgently recognise that the relentless price hikes are having a serious effect on people's quality of life, and focus investment now to deliver affordable train travel for all."

Green Party activist Lianna Etkind, who commutes to London daily, said:

"This will mean a season ticket increase of between £200-300 from Brighton to London in the coming year and an enormous amount over the next four years.

"Green Party councillors and transport campaigners will be making the case that these rail hikes are ungreen, will damage our city's economy, cause financial and employment worries and boost polluting road traffic as people are literally priced off the trains.

"We're astonished that Norman Baker LibDem MP for Lewes could be acquiescing with this policy as a junior Transport Minister."

Councillor Sue Shanks will be at Preston Park station on Friday. She said:

"At a time when employment is difficult to find, many people are looking outside the city and having to use the train. This rise in fares will hit people's pockets hard.

"It's also clearly bad for the environment if increased rail fares mean that people are turning away from the trains and using their cars more."

Meanwhile, Councillors Alex Phillips and Chris Hawtree are set to join fed up commuters at Hove station. Councillor Phillips commented:

"I'll be at Hove station on Friday supporting local campaigners who say the government's rail fare policy is beyond a joke.

"Ministers seem happy to allow rail companies to charge exorbitant fares while doing little to reduce over-crowding or improve the trains or rail network.

"If the Government is willing to subsidise car travel by reducing fuel duty, they should also be investing in public transport to ensure that greener alternatives to the car become an affordable option for ordinary people."

ENDS

Notes

1) Campaign for Better Transport launched the national Fair Fares Now campaign to call for cheaper, simpler, fairer rail ticketing.

The Brighton rally follows a month of action which saw protests taking place at over 40 rail stations across the country.

For more information or to sign the petition visit www.fairfaresnow.org.uk/petition