Over the new year, it was announced train prices for Dorset rail passengers were going to increase and public transport, or rather the cost of it, is a hot topic for 2018.

I believe the cost of taking public transport in Dorset is far too expensive. A single journey from Upwey to Dorchester costs £2.50. So, for an average worker, living in Weymouth and commuting to Dorchester, it will cost £5 a day or £25 a week, which I think is much too high.

The same journey by train costs approximately £2.10, which is cheaper but I think it is still very costly for what is a short and popular route.

For vulnerable people and people on low incomes, if such journeys have to be made regularly for work or hospital appointments, these prices can rack up, putting them under enormous financial strain. Personally, I believe these fares should be reduced to encourage people to use public transport and allow people without cars the freedom to travel.

Furthermore, if public transport was cheaper, more people would be inclined to use it which would reduce the amount of cars on the road. This in turn would mean there would be less pollution which would be beneficial for the environment and help us combat climate change.

I also think if there were fewer cars on the road then there will be less congestion and fewer traffic jams which cause people to become stressed and angry when they are late. It could be that fewer cars on the road could mean there is less chance of a road traffic accident and could be better for people’s wellbeing overall.

There are many benefits to reducing the cost of public transport and I believe it is something that should definitely happen.