Claire Young MP calls for rail fare freeze in first parliamentary speech

Thornbury & Yate’s new Liberal Democrat MP has urged Ministers to ‘immediately’ freeze rail fare, simplify ticket booking systems, and commit to extending funding for the half-hourly service at Yate station.

Claire Young, the former leader of South Gloucestershire council who took the seat from the Conservatives earlier this month, made her maiden speech on Monday during a debate on the Labour Government’s plans to nationalise rail franchises. 

Speaking in the debate, Claire set out the huge benefits from improving railway connectivity – including helping people travel in greener ways without needing to use their car – and called for a renewed focus on boosting rural bus services to better integrate local transport links. 

She also highlighted the need to work with local campaigners to bring our railways into the 21st century, including on the redevelopment of Yate station, the new station at Charfield, and the issues posed by flooding on the Severn Beach line. 

Speaking after the debate, Claire Young MP said: 

“If we are to tackle the climate crisis and cut congestion on our roads then we must ensure our train services give people genuinely alternative ways to get around effectively. 

“There is so much that can be done to improve our railways, but for this to be possible we need national investment to increase capacity and unlock this potential. 

“For too long we’ve seen ticket prices soar while the scale of delays and cancellations have got worse. We must reverse this trend and get the trains back on track.  

“Bringing the railways under public ownership is far from a silver bullet. Passengers ultimately don’t care much about who runs the trains – they just want them to run on time and be affordable. 

“That’s why I am pushing the Government to immediately freeze rail fares and simplify ticketing, to ensure people get value for money and can afford to travel sustainably. 

“I will continue to work with local campaigners to ensure we get a fair deal for our railways.”