Motorists parking at railway stations are being ripped off by private rail firms, according to a union.
The Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA) said drivers are being charged up to £135 for eight hours at some stations in England and Scotland.
Network rail does not regulate station car parks and the TSSA said the transport secretary should curb parking charges by including them in the regulated fares formula. The union surveyed over 1000 station car parks across the country.
TSSA general secretary Gerry Docherty revealed the findings at the union’s annual conference at Torquay today.
He said: “This is a real scandal and we are today calling on transport secretary Geoff Hoon to do something about it.
“Passengers, like visitors to hospitals, are being ripped off simply because they are a captive audience.”
He added: “Not content with increasing fares three times already this year, the greedy rail firms want to squeeze passengers until the pips squeak by hitting them in their wallets every time they park their cars.”
According to the TSSA, parking at Birmingham New Street costs £55 for four hours, while Manchester Piccadilly costs £35 for three hours.
A spokesman for Network Rail claimed that less expensive parking options are available at the stations operated by the company, and that free parking is available for very short visits.
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