Sturgeon to consider rail fare freeze call by Labour
● But Sturgeon says ‘fairness of funding’ to improve standards is also important
The First Minister has said she will consider freezing the country’s train fares next year amid concern over the reliability of Scotrail services.
Nicola Sturgeon was responding to a Labour proposal to freeze fares in order to “give passengers a break” after another morning of delay and disruption on the rail network brought misery to commuters.
At First Minister’s Questions yesterday, Ms Sturgeon was challenged by Labour leader Kezia Dugdale after a points failure affected trains going to and from Glasgow Central Station.
Nicola Sturgeon yesterday said she will consider a Labour demand to freeze rail fares next year after another morning of delay and disruption on the rail network.
At First Minister’s Questions, Ms Sturgeon was challenged by Labour’s Kezia Dugdale over a points failure that affected trains going to and from Glasgow Central.
Ms Dugdale said one-third of trains had been running late at one stage that morning, and said passengers “deserved a break”.
“That is why Labour is publishing a plan to freeze all regulated rail fares next year,” Ms Dugdale said. “She [Ms Sturgeon] has the power to give them one, so will she back Labour’s call for a 2017 rail freeze?”
Ms Sturgeon said she would “consider any proposal put forward”, adding that she would have to examine how a freeze would be paid for.
“Of course we do not want to see rail fares increase any more than is absolutely necessary,” the First Minister said.
“That’s why we at the moment have increases in rail fares that are at the lowest level since powers over railways were devolved to this parliament in 2005. We see peaktime rail fare increases limited to inflation. Off-peak rail fare increases are actually limited to inflation minus 1 per cent. That is the discipline we exert on rail fares.
“We will consider any proposals, but above all else we will make sure we have fairness around the funding of our railways so that we can carry out the investments that are required to make sure the standards do improve.”
Rail fares are due to increase by up to 1.9 per cent in January. This would see the cost of an Edinburgh-glasgow season ticket rise by more than £71.
According to Labour, the SNP’S cap on rush hour fares has increased by more than 23 per cent since 2011 – more than three times the increase in the rate of earnings.
The cost of implementing a freeze is estimated at £2 million.
The performance of Scotland’s railways was once again a dominant theme at Holyrood, with Ms Sturgeon telling Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson that Scotrail would publish its 246-point Improvement Plan within the “next few days”.
More questions were raised about the system with the publication of a report on Rail Network Scotland by the Office of Rail and Road. The report identified questions over the reduction of accident risk.
The overcrowding and delays experienced by train passengers has led to trade union leaders calling on Transport Minister Humza Yousaf to quit.
Mr Yousaf has been under pressure over the performance of the Dutch firm Abellio and its £7 billion contract to run the Scotrail franchise.
Last week the rail network was brought to a standstill by a train breakdown which left thousands of commuters stranded. A total of 225 trains – one in ten – were cancelled when an engine failed between Edinburgh Waverley and Haymarket.