The claim came as the party highlighted responses to parliamentary questions which revealed that 13 of the current rail franchises have no plans to upgrade train rolling stock.

While British railway travellers pay some of the highest fares in Europe they are travelling on trains that are an average of nearly 13 years old, said the Lib Dems.

And little would be done to improve the situation in either 2006 or 2007.

"These franchises are predominantly outside London and the South East, and cover some of the busiest commuter lines in the country," said transport spokesman Paul Rowen.

"For example on the Northern franchise the average age of rolling stock is 17.1 years already, and the Great Northern fleet averages 19.9 years.

"It appears that with the exception of fast intercity routes and lines emanating around London and the South East, the Department for Transport has abandoned rail commuters.

"They face years of misery as rail stock becomes increasingly unreliable and overcrowded.
"Labour's much heralded 'age of the train' has come to an shuddering halt."

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De Havilland: 30/01/2006

Trains 'getting older'

As UK rail travellers continue to fork out more for travel after new year fare increases, MPs are calling for a debate about Britain's rail infrastructure.

Brits now pay some of the highest rail fares in Europe and the Liberal Democrats are demanding to know why the country's rail network is not being updated.

A total of 13 of the UK's current rail franchises do not have any current plans to upgrade rolling stock, despite trains being an average of 13 years old, the Lib Dems claim.

The party's transport spokesman Paul Rowan has announced that answers to parliamentary questions show that regional trains are getting older, with no fixed plans from rail operators to replace them.

Mr Rowen said: "These franchises are predominantly outside London and the south-east, and cover some of the busiest commuter lines in the country.

"For example on the northern franchise the average age of rolling stock is 17.1 years already, and the Great Northern fleet averages 19.9 years."

The MP wants the government to put pressure on rail franchisees to update their rolling stock sooner rather than later.

"It appears that with the exception of fast intercity routes and lines emanating around London and the south-east, the Department for Transport has abandoned rail commuters," he claimed. "They face years of misery as rail stock becomes increasingly unreliable and overcrowded.

"Labour's much heralded 'age of the train' has come to a shuddering halt."

The latest national passenger survey for the rail industry, published this month, suggested that fewer than half of Britain's passengers are happy with the value for money they are getting.

Just 45 per cent of those quizzed said that they were satisfied that they were receiving good value for money and 33 per cent claimed that ticket prices offered poor value.

The poll of 25,000 passengers, conducted in autumn 2005, indicates that more passengers are now satisfied with their overall journey (80 per cent), and with the punctuality and reliability of the service (77 per cent).

Consumer body Passenger Focus is calling for a national debate on rail fares, following new year price rises of around 3.9 per cent. Unregulated fares, including cheap day returns, rose by an average of 4.5 per cent at the start of the year.