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Coronation Street actor Antony Cotton brands cost of rail tickets for armed forces ‘national disgrace’
The actor was awarded an MBE last year for his service to the British Army, personnel and veterans
Coronation Street actor Antony Cotton took to social media in a series of posts calling for ‘heavily subsidised’ rail tickets for armed forces personnel.
Cotton, who plays Sean Tully in Corrie, addressed the Secretary of State for Defence Grant Shapps in a series of tweets, asking him for a conversation about the price of tickets soldiers have to pay to see their families.
The 48-year-old from Bury wrote in his first post: “Good morning @grantshapps. I’ve messaged you several times, to no avail. I’d like to have a conversation with you about the cost of rail tickets, especially for our Armed Forces personnel.
“Serving soldiers can’t afford to travel home. I’d like to know what you think about that?”
One person took to the comment section to say: “Armed Forces personnel have their own railcards, so get a discount not available to others.”
Cotton wrote in response: “Yes. The HM Forces railcard. Which they pay annually for. If a soldier is working at @RMASandhurst, and lives in Newcastle, to get home this Friday, here is an example of that discount in practice. This is the reality.”
He posted a screenshot of a single ticket from Camberley – where the Royal Military Academy (RMA) Sandhurst is based – to Newcastle costing £108 after the discount had been applied.
To no reply from Mr Shapps, the star went on to post a second tweet saying: “Our Armed Forces should be able to travel home on the train, not for free, but for a very heavily subsidised price. It is the very least we can do for our serving personnel.
“Charging anyone upwards of £100 to get on a train is nothing short of a national disgrace @grantshapps.”
Cotton then posting a third tweet, adding: “For context – a private soldier’s salary is £23K. A lance corporal’s is £30K a year. An MP’s basic salary is £86K.”
Many people took to the comments of Cotton’s tweets in support of him. One person said: “So true I agree completely.”
Another put: “I know people who have no understanding of our armed forces really are not aware of the rubbish incomes they are on, expected to put their life on the line. They pay out their own pockets to get home to see friends and family, it sucks the discounts are not enough.”
And a third typed: “I used to work at Plymouth Ticket Office in the early 1980s and they used to be given Travel Warrants to use so they could go home free. I’m shocked that they are expected to buy tickets now.”
Aside from his TV work, Cotton has been involved in work for the military community since 2008 and spends much of his spare time supporting Armed Forces charities.
The actor was awarded an MBE last year for his service to the British Army personnel and veterans.
He is passionate about helping veterans and serving military personnel, taking inspiration from his grandfather, Oswald Cotton, who was rescued at Dunkirk – four years previous to the D-Day landings. His late grandfather served in the Royal Army Service Corps, delivering fuel to the front lines in Europe.
Cotton sadly never got to meet him, as he passed away before he was born.
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