In the group it was my task to do the VT on the rail fare increase. I worked with James to film and edit this VT and also the Canvey sea wall one.
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Script
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Brainstorm
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Risk Assessment
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Release Form
Proposal:
My VT will be on rail fare prices. Commuting by rail is a subject that affects thousands of people, so it is guaranteed to be of interest. It will feature clips of trains, information regarding the fares, statistics and public opinions. Fares have gone up 2.8% and the public would like to know why and where the money will be going. The closest rail line is C2C so we will have no trouble finding a location to film at. Even if we cannot film in the station, we can still film outside the building. The cost to produce the VT would be minimal. The reporter will talk over various shots of rail related clips and will explain about the rise in fares. After giving statistics, he will then get the opinions of the public (vox-pox) and summarise before ending.
Release Form:
The release form was completed by myself. For the vox-pops, I asked the members of public before I started shooting. This was easier than getting them to sign forms. A lot of people were in a rush so it was easier for them too.
Research:
When researching for information, I wanted to get secondary and primary information. I know then that I have reliably from people who travel first hand and also a view on the wider picture from the press. I chose to source from the local press and also the BBC.
Source 1 - The Echo (Secondary Research)
Passengers will pay higher rail fares from tomorrow, with annual
season tickets rising by
an average of 3.1%.The increase pushes some commuters into the £5,000-a-year
"club", with annual season tickets to London from Deal and Dover
Priory costing £5,012.The rise also means some annual season tickets will break
the £4,000 mark, with a Basingstoke-London annual fare now rising to £4,076.
The 3.1%
rise is for regulated fares which include season tickets. The rise on unregulated
fares, typically off-peak leisure tickets, is not capped. But a number of these
fares, including some on
the East Coast route, are going up by much less than 3.1%, with the
overall rise in tickets - regulated and unregulated - being 2.8%. The increase could have been even
greater, but Chancellor George Osborne announced in his Autumn Statement
in early December that the regulated fare price cap of RPI inflation plus 1%
was being changed to RPI plus 0%.
Campaign groups have
complained about the annual increase, with the Campaign for Better
Transport saying that fares
are rising three times faster than wages. Rail unions have also been quick to point out the high cost of
rail travel in the UK compared with the rest of Europe. Jason Torrance,
policy director of sustainable transport organisation Sustrans, said: "The
Chancellor's move to bring an end to the inflation-busting fare rises we've
seen over the last decade shows a recognition that rising transport costs are a barrier to economic
recovery.
Source 2 - BBC News (Secondary Research)
Thursday, pushing the cost of some commuter
travel to more than
£5,000 a year. The increase is the smallest rise in four years, according to the
pan-industry Rail Delivery Group. Chancellor George Osborne said in last
month's Autumn Statement he would keep fares in line with July's Retail Price Index (RPI) inflation rate
of 3.1%. But campaigners say that fares are rising three times faster than incomes.
Some regulated tickets, including season tickets, anytime and
off-peak tickets, have risen on average by 3.1%. The increase pushes the cost
of some annual season tickets to more than £5,000 a year. Transport Minister Stephen Hammond told the BBC: "Fares are rising but at the
lowest they've ever done in the last decade and that's because this government recognises the
concerns that people have about rail fares.
"Also this government is investing £16bn in the
maintenance and upgrade of our railways over the next five years to ensure that
there will be benefits
for passengers like extra capacity." Shadow transport secretary
Mary Creagh said: "David
Cameron's cost-of-living crisis continues as fares rise this week by up
to 5%, while season
tickets have gone up by 20% under this government, costing hard-working
commuters hundreds of pounds."
Source 3 - Laura Bartlett (Primary Research)
My annual train fare from Benfleet to Fenchurch Street is now £3128 per year. Trains are often very crowded and I rarely get to sit down on the first or second train that arrives. I think they should sort out existing problems with the increase in money that they will be getting. For many people getting the train is the only way to work for them so using a different type of transport is not an option.
