'Historic' abolition of ScotRail peak fares - but SNP criticised for ending previous trial
Passengers now pay the same price all day in UK-first innovation
First Minister John Swinney has hailed the permanent abolition of ScotRail’s peak fares on Monday as a “historic moment for Scotland's railway” but opposition parties said the SNP should not have reintroduced them after a trial last year.
In a UK first that is expected to cost £28 million in its first year, passengers now pay the same to travel with the Scottish Government-owned operator at any time of day - ending a premium of up to nearly 50 per cent for journeys at peak times.
It follows a trial suspension of peak fares which was extended to a year but was ended last September for not meeting its passenger growth target despite opposition calls for it to be continued.
Mr Swinney said: “Abolishing peak fares is an historic moment for Scotland's railway - offering the chance for a step change in how people travel which can deliver significant progress in our fight against climate change.”
SNP depute leader and former transport minister Keith Brown linked the move with the party’s goal for Scottish independence.
He said: “This historic move underlines how decisions made here in Scotland, for Scotland, can deliver real, lasting benefits for the people who live and work here - it's a glimpse of what Scotland could achieve with the full powers of independence.”
The trial only boosted passenger numbers by 6.8 per cent against the 10 per cent required to make the scheme self-financing.
However, ScotRail is confident that making the change permanent will attract more passengers because they will be more confident to alter how they travel and “commit to rail”.
Managing director Joanne Maguire said: “This ground breaking change to fares provides us with a significant opportunity to drive rail journeys, getting hundreds of thousands of people out of their cars and on to rail.”
But Scottish Conservatives transport spokesperson Sue Webber said: “The brass neck of the SNP trying to claim credit for this U-turn is beyond belief.
“It was the Scottish Conservatives who led a debate last September to prevent the Nats reintroducing peak fares and hammering Scottish commuters.
“They fought against it tooth and nail, but we won the vote. For them now to say that it’s their policy, when they did everything they could to avoid it, is utterly shameless.”
Claire Baker, her Scottish Labour counterpart, said: "While it is welcome that peak rail fares are finally being scrapped, it was only last year that the SNP shot down calls by Scottish Labour to do so.
“The peak rail fares pilot boosted passenger numbers and yet SNP ministers opted to reinstate peak rail fares anyway, leaving thousands of Scots to be hit in the pocket over the last year."
Train drivers’ union Aslef said it had called for peak fares to be scrapped nearly four years ago.
Scottish organiser Kevin Lindsay said: “We are pleased the Scottish Government finally saw sense and resolved to support the scrapping of peak fares, ending the de-facto extra tax on workers and making rail more affordable for them and other passengers when travelling during so-called peak times.”
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