ON a chilly April morning, Ruth Jones, the Labour Parliamentary Candidate for the Monmouth Constituency, joined a group of local residents outside Chepstow railway station who were calling for public ownership of the railways.

Last Wednesday (1st April) marked the 21st anniversary of the enactment of the Railways Act (1993), which unleashed rail privatisation across the UK.

The event in Chepstow was one of scores of protests across the country which were co-ordinated by a number of organisations including railway unions, passenger alliances and environmental groups.

Ruth said: "It was good to hear the views of the demonstrators, and also to talk to station staff and commuters about some of the local transport issues residents face.

"The rising cost of transport is a central part of the cost of living crisis. People are being squeezed by eye-watering fare increases on the railways. This has been allowed to happen because David Cameron has chosen to stand up for the companies who operate our rail and bus services, rather than empowering the passengers and communities who rely on them. Labour wants an affordable transport system that works for passengers, giving them a real voice, with decisions on services taken far closer to those who use them."