National Express train seat booking fee is a ‘stealth tax’

Jan 19 2009 by Neil Mckay, The Journal

A PLAN by rail bosses to charge £1 for seat reservations was branded as a “stealth tax” last night.

National Express East Coast, which operates the London to Edinburgh route calling at Newcastle, Berwick, Durham and Darlington, is considering charging the booking fee to help with the problem of reserved seats not being used.

The company said people often book seats and fail to turn up for their trains, but passenger groups were angry at the idea.

Details of the plan emerged yesterday, just over two weeks after the company increased fares by an inflation-busting 6%.

A company spokeswoman said: “The idea of potentially charging for some seat reservations is being considered by National Express East Coast, but is by no means certain.

“The reason for this is that some customers are block booking seats on peak trains and then failing to turn up for those journeys.”

North East spokesman for passenger group Railfuture, Tony Walker, said: “Railfuture recognises the problems caused by seat reservations not being taken up on long distance trains, but we don’t believe that the National Express East Coast proposal to charge £1 per reservation will prove effective.

“Moreover, after rail travellers have already been hit with fare rises above the rate of inflation, the imposition of a stealth tax, which is what this effectively is, would be a step too far.”

Tyne Bridge MP David Clelland last night said that although he was not keen to see the measure needlessly contribute to National Express profits, it could have a welcome impact on some services.

Mr Clelland, who sits on the Government’s transport select committee, said: “There is a frequent problem on many services in which people reserve a seat on different services which they may not intend to use.

“We will all be familiar with getting on a train and having to wait until it is moving before you can start trying to track down which seats have been booked but not used.

The news that the company was considering charging for a seat reservation comes ahead of a crucial meeting tomorrow between public transport executives and Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon.

Figures circulated to members of the Association of Train Operating Companies show that revenue growth at intercity franchises was 4% in November and December. Rail experts said several franchises would have pencilled in higher revenue growth figures.

Since taking over the East Coast main line franchise from GNER in December 2007, National Express East Coast has seen passenger numbers grow by a million to 18 million, revenue increase by 11% and passenger satisfaction up by 4%, according to independent research.