A UNION has highlighted the heavy financial burden on rail passengers travelling to and from York, who are being charged 90 per cent more per mile to travel on the East Coast Main Line to London.

A study released by the Rail, Maritime and Transport Union (RMT) showed York residents have to pay twice as much per mile for a ticket to the capital than those living in other cities along the GNER-managed route, for both standard and first class fares.

The study showed a standard return journey from York to London costs £144 for 376 miles - equivalent to 38p per mile travelled. A first-class return ticket costs £238 - or 63p per mile.

By contrast, passengers going to London from Peterborough pay £54 for a standard return, or £84 for a first-class return - equivalent to 55p or 35p per mile.

Those living in Scotland enjoy an even greater benefit over those in York. A journey from Aberdeen the cost is 30p or 20p per mile.

The figures were released by the RMT after a protest against rail privatisation arrived in York. Members of the RMT are marching from Glasgow to London, calling for the railways to be re-nationalised.

The union also released figures highlighting the gulf in train fares between Britain and the rest of Europe. Here, the average cost of a 188-mile journey - the distance from York to London - is £70. By contrast, the average cost of travelling a similar distance in Belgium or France is £22.

Bob Crow, RMT general secretary, said: "Our analysis also shows that travellers in Lincolnshire and Yorkshire are paying more per mile than on the rest of the line."

GNER spokesman, John Gelson, defended the firm's ticket prices, calling the RMT's study "selective and flawed." He said: "The RMT is only showing GNER's most expensive, fully flexible, fares, intended for the business peak. Large discounts apply for walk-up travel in the off-peak, while 1.5 million people last year alone travelled on our off-peak advance purchase fares, which offer even greater savings."

Mr Gelson said the comparison with France was also misleading, as French railways charge supplements for peak-time travel, which he said could add 45 per cent to the cost of a journey.

He said: "We are good value compared with alternative modes of travel. The RAC quote the cost of using a car as 40p per mile, while our fares from London to York start at just 5p per mile."

What the passengers think...

Jonathan Grimaudo, 21, of Montreal, Canada:

"I've got a travelcard, and I'm very glad. I've been checking the prices here and they're very expensive. It's more expensive here than in Canada."

Gavin Hill, 18, of Tang Hall, York:

"I don't use trains that often, and when I do it's usually just to Harrogate or Leeds. If I was going to London, I think I'd look twice at the cost."

David Roberts, 64, of Haxby, York: "I can fly to Madrid for £6, yet it would cost nearly £200 to get to London from York first-class. At least from places like Newcastle you can fly."

Updated: 10:28 Thursday, April 28, 2005