Delight as £1 rail scheme avoids axe

Rail campaigners are celebrating after Fife councillors unanimously voted to save discounted rail travel for older and disabled passengers.

The scheme offers off peak travel for £1 between Fife stations for those who are disabled or over 65.

A working group’s proposal to axe the policy in favour of more bus travel was branded “utter madness” by campaigners.

It was argued the rail discounts were mostly used to cut journey costs for Edinburgh day-trippers and was not delivering any benefit for the Fife economy.

The policy will be reviewed to ensure it better serves the whole region, including the link from Thornton to Leven, which is expected to be reinstated by 2023.

The council must now find an additional £370,000 to finance the subsidised rail scheme and expand the Fife Bus project, which provides a door to door Ring and Ride service for those unable to use conventional public transport because of mobility and other difficulties.

“It’s all very positive,” said Eugene Clarke, who chairs the Levenmouth Rail Campaign, adding: “I’m very happy with it.”

Mr Clarke said: “I understand there was a range of options which had been presented, and there hadn’t been a final decision, but I welcome the fact the committee has agreed to continue the scheme for subsidised rail fares for the elderly, and also agreed to review the policy now the Levenmouth railway is coming on stream.

“One of the key features of the campaign over the years has been the unanimous political support we have had from councillors and MSPs from all parties. We’re delighted that the decision today has continued that.”

Scrapping rail concessions in favour of

Fife Bus was considered “in the knowledge that additional budget for passenger transport was not on the agenda”.

In addition to recurring funding of £370,000, the authority plans to use £240,000 of capital funding to add to the fleet of vehicles.

Funding options will be brought to the next policy and co-ordination committee.

Fife Bus is being extended following a decision last year to roll out Ring and Ride to all areas of Fife and phase out Diala-Ride, which operated from fixed destinations at fixed times.

Ring and Ride was said to give clients more choice over where and when they travel.

Fife Bus was previously criticised as a “postcode lottery”.

Councillors backed an amendment by Holyrood Labour candidate Altany Craik and seconded by SNP councillor John Beare. Mr Craik said it should take into account the new rail link to Leven and the “need to encourage passengers back on to the railway as part of our recovery from the pandemic”.

Lib Dem councillor Tim Brett criticised the lack of public consultation, which was challenged by senior transportation manager Derek Crowe.

Mr Crowe said: “The decision element of it has been decided by the working group but the engagement and the deliberation was through public engagement as well.

“We have a lot of input that’s available, that we can share with Councillor Brett, of public opinion that actually challenges the council spending money on concessionary rail travel.”

Mr Crowe told the meeting that 60% of concessionary rail tickets purchased were Inverkeithing-bound, for travel on to Edinburgh.

He said that most taking up the scheme were people aged 60 to 69 travelling to the capital.

DELIGHTED: Eugene Clarke of Levenmouth Rail Campaign. Picture by Steve Brown.