article_snippet: The 'outrageous' parking charges amount to a 'stealth tax' on train travel adding up to 50 per cent of the total cost in some areas, according to the TSSA Rail union.
article_snippet: Network Rail and the private rail firms are charging as much as £215 for day long stays at city centre rail car parks while also charging as much as £3,000 for annual parking tickets.'
article_snippet: Network Rail and the private rail firms can charge what Network Rail and the private rail firms like for parking because, unlike key rail fares, there is no Government cap, it is a free for all.'
article_snippet: Union general secretary Manuel Cortes added: 'Charging over £200 for all day parking in station car parks at Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds is little short of daylight robbery. '
article_snippet: And charging over £3,000 for an annual parking ticket at Snow Hill in Birmingham is simply outrageous
article_snippet: Union general secretary Manuel Cortes said: 'Parking charges as high as £1,800 at commuter hot spots like Guildford and Reading were effectively putting another 40 per cent to 50 per cent parking tax on top of annual season tickets which are already way too high. '
article_snippet: Union general secretary Manuel Cortes wants the Government to include parking in the price control curbs that is used to fix annual scheduled fare increases like season tickets and off peak travel.
article_snippet: Union general secretary Manuel Cortes said: 'When you consider that These firms are making £800million a year in parking fees from these passengers who already paying out £9billion in fares, I think commuters deserve some additional protection.
article_snippet: Annual car parking fares at some train stations such as Guilford, which charges £1,800 for a pass, come on top of annual travel tickets which cost more than £3,000 .
article_snippet: Edmund King, President of the AA, said: 'Station car parks face a difficult balancing act in not setting parking charges that are lower than those in neighbouring car parks, encouraging non-rail users to take spaces intended for train travellers.
article_snippet: Unfortunately, this becomes an excuse for much higher parking charges, although longer-stay car parking does demand a higher and more costly level of security. '
article_snippet: The root of the problem is the high cost of train travel - high parking charges at stations rub more salt in the wound.
article_snippet: If we want to encourage drivers to allow the train to take the strain then the strain is imperative that railway car park charges are kept down. '
article_snippet: Rail operators should look at some way of allowing rail customers to recoup the cost of parking from train fares.
article_snippet: Parking operators are very keen to devise ways to catch drivers who make mistakes in failing to comply with parking rules, Parking operators should be equally enthusiastic in finding ways to make life fairer and easier for often stressed train travellers.'
article_snippet: Rail industry officials said many stations do not charge for car parking, and where Rail industry officials do, charges set by train companies are similar to those in town centre car parks.
article_snippet: Officials Across the country millions of pounds are being invested in station car parks to add extra spaces and to make car parks safe and secure for passengers, Officials Across the country pointed out.
highlights_snippet: Some annual car parking tickets added 50 per cent to cost of travel card .
  