Rail fare cuts help save planet

Being part of the Scottish Government gives the Scottish Greens an opportunity to deliver policies which make life easier for people across Renfrewshire.

One which I’m particularly proud to have had a hand in securing is the special offer removing peak-time rail fares.

Since last October, a peak-time return ticket from Paisley to Glasgow costs £4.50 instead of £6.60. Paisley to Edinburgh returns cost £21.90 – down from £37.50.

This special offer was originally intended to run until the end of this month, but now, as a result of further work by Green MSPs, we’ve been able to fund its extension until the end of June.

That’s because we recognise that cost-of-living crisis is still hurting households this spring.

If only the UK Government hadn’t made such horrendous cuts to the Scottish Government’s budget we would have been able to extend it for even longer.

As well as helping people, removing peak rail fares helps our planet by making public transport cheaper and in turn allowing more people to leave the car at home.

A commuter travelling from Paisley Gilmour Street into Glasgow for work will save over £300 by the end of the special offer period on June 28. Those travelling to Edinburgh daily could save over £2,000.

Every pound saved on a commute is money that can instead go towards heating, eating and other costs which continue to rise as a result of Westminster’s ongoing cost-of-living crisis.

With three more months of discount fares than originally planned, I’d encourage everyone to make as much use of these savings as possible, especially if you’re not a regular rail commuter.

Bringing back a special offer like this in the future will depend in part on evidence that it has encouraged more people to use the train – so those journeys between now and the end of June are really important to its future success.

This offer, alongside other Scottish Greens policies like free bus travel for under-22s and our upcoming expansion of free ferry trips for young island residents show our commitment to deliver for both people and planet.

In Renfrewshire, over 20,000 young people have taken more than three million free bus journeys since we launched that scheme in 2022.

If you know a young person who still doesn’t have their bus pass, though, please encourage them to go to www.freebus.scot to register.

I’m determined to continue delivering policies which will both ease the pressure on household budgets and tackle the climate emergency.

And I’m proud of the positive impact Greens in government are making for Paisley and for communities across Scotland.