Scotland to retain train fare price cap

SCOTRAIL passengers will avoid a feared major hike in train fares next year, the Scottish Government pledged yesterday.

Unions claimed some tickets could rocket by 10 per cent from January as part of the UK coalition government's spending cuts to be announced tomorrow.

However, fare increases at ScotRail will be limited to 5.8 per cent, under the current inflation-linked formula, Transport Scotland said. Next year's Holyrood election is understood to have influenced the move.

A Transport Scotland spokesman it was committed to retaining the current cap on rises. He said: "Under the franchise agreement, ScotRail are able to increase regulated fares by up to RPI (retail price index] plus 1 per cent. We intend to retain the cap in fares."

The Transport Salaried Staffs Association said it had been briefed by Whitehall sources that the cap will be suspended south of the Border.

This will potentially affect cross-Border operators, such as East Coast, Virgin Trains, CrossCountry and TransPennine Express.