Train fares hit record high – despite slump in ScotRail standards
THE cost of travelling by train will soar to a record high from today as a series of punishing fare rises come into force.
Passengers will have to pay more to travel despite plummeting standards at ScotRail since Dutch firm Abellio took over the franchise.
Every regulated peak fare – including most standard singles, day returns and season tickets – will increase by 1.9 per cent. And the cost of regulated off-peak fares will go up by 0.9 per cent.
Unregulated fares will also rise, with ScotRail having the power to increase prices by however much it chooses.
The increases are happening after SNP ministers rejected calls to impose a fare freeze to compensate passengers for the decline in standards. Instead, they will fund £3million of promotions mainly aimed at people with season tickets.
Scottish Labour deputy leader Alex Rowley said: ‘Labour called for a fare freeze for 2017. Unlike the SNP’s plan, this would benefit every single passenger. After all the delays and disruption people have had to put up with on the railways, no passenger should face a fare hike when they return to work this week.
‘The bottom line is that fares will still rise to record levels this year for the vast majority of passengers. It is insulting to ask passengers to pay a penny more for the shocking ScotRail service they have been receiving.’
The fare increases coming into force from today mean a rush-hour day return between Edinburgh and Glasgow will rise by 50p, to £23.80 – £7.60 higher than a decade ago.
Off-peak fares between the two cities will rise from £12.60 to £12.70. Return fares between Edinburgh and Aberdeen at peak time on ScotRail services will rise by £1.20, to £64.60 – which is £9.10 higher than passengers pay for travelling between the two cities if they opt for an East Coast service.
Peak-time return fares between Inverness and Edinburgh will rise by £1.40 to £77.40.
Across the UK, the average fare rise coming into force from today is 2.3 per cent, although the figure varies between operators – with Virgin East Coast increasing its charges by 4.9 per cent.
Lianna Etkind, of the Campaign for Better Transport, said: ‘Today’s fare rises are another kick in the teeth for long-suffering rail passengers.
‘Many experienced a less frequent and more overcrowded service last year, and now they are required to pay more for the same this year. The whole fares system is completely unfair and its high time the Government overhauled it.’
Bruce Williamson, of independent campaign group Railfuture, said: ‘With the chaos on Southern, lacklustre performance in Scotland and stalled electrification on the Great Western main line, passengers are going to wonder what they are getting for their increased ticket price. Our walk-on rail fares are already the most eye-watering in Europe, and with fuel duty frozen for motorists for the fifth year on the trot, it can’t be denied that people are being priced off the railways.’
The ScotRail fare rises mean people who buy season tickets will also pay more. Those who buy monthly season tickets between Aberdeen and Dundee will pay £410.50 a month, or £4,926 a year – £91.86 higher than last year.
An annual season ticket between Edinburgh and Glasgow will rise from £3,748 to £3,820, while monthly tickets will jump £6.80 to £366.80.
However, the Scottish Government last month announced that it would invest up to £3million in a series of rail fare promotions, including a ‘free week’ to season ticket holders.
It means an annual season ticket holder can save £95.50 on the Edinburgh-Glasgow service, £38.40 on Dingwall-Inverness and £16.30 on Musselburgh-Edinburgh.
Transport Minister Humza Yousaf acknowledged 2016 was a ‘challenging year for the rail industry’.
He said: ‘The Scottish Government knew this was simply not good enough, so took steps to ensure ScotRail addressed this by introducing a 249-point performance improvement plan which we are now monitoring closely.
Mr Yousaf argued that the one week’s free travel initiative would benefit passengers more than a fare freeze, with the £95.50 saving on the Glasgow-Edinburgh line comparing to £82.80 for a freeze.
He added: ‘ScotRail are currently developing a set of fare promotions throughout the year for weekly season ticket holders as well as less frequent travellers to ensure more customers benefit from our investment in Scotland’s railways.’
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