TAKING a taxi to London is cheaper than travelling by train.
An Adver investigation has revealed that two people sharing a private hire taxi to the capital would pay less than if they both caught a First Great Western train.
Earlier this month day trippers in Swindon were informed they would have to pay a whopping £98 for an open return to London - an increase of 6.5 per cent on last year's fares.
And weekly season ticket holders in the town were hit by a 9.8 per cent increase, with the cost of their travel going up by £15.10 to £169.20 a week.
But the owner of a private hire taxi company in Swindon says he can take away all the hassle of travelling by rail for less.
Steve Kew, owner of Steve's Mini Travel, said he would charge two people £180, which includes the congestion charge, for a return trip to London, saving a total of £16 for two passengers.
And although the journey by taxi could take up to an hour longer in each case, Steve argues that it is worth it.
He said: "On a train, passengers often have to spend the whole journey standing up.
"We take them from door to door and they get a seat.
"Also there are train delays and cancellations. With taxis you never have to worry about anything like that."
John Brown, 56, an entrepreneur from Wanborough, who paid £91 for a return ticket to London on Friday said it would have been cheaper to drive.
He said: "For the price I paid for a ticket it would have been less expensive to have taken my car, and that is including the congestion charge.
"And if I had a travelling partner it would have been cheaper to share a taxi - that is crazy.
"The most annoying thing is that I faced a 20-minute delay on the way into London and a cancellation on the way back.
"I don't understand how they can justify making these increases considering the way things are at the moment - what with the delays and all.
"It is one big contradiction. Any other business just couldn't do this, as people would stop using their product.
"It is obvious they don't understand customer value.
"They offer a less-than-acceptable service, for a less-than-acceptable price. The next time I need to go to London I will give taking a taxi or my car some serious thought."
First Great Western made the new year increases on January 2 despite a fifth of their trains being late last year.
A First Great Western spokesman said: "We think rail travel still offers excellent value, it is a pleasant journey and has on-board catering.
"With taxis you must deal with traffic issues, therefore we think train is the best way to travel."
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