A pilot scheme which offered cheaper peak rail fares is ending soon, meaning from next month Scotrail fares at peak times are increasing.
The timing couldn’t have come at a worse time as a cost of living crisis hits in just about every other transport sector and puts significant financial pressure on rail commuters, perhaps even pricing out the opportunity of taking the train at all for some.
Despite Scotland having the cheapest rail fares in the UK, around 34% per mile less than tariffs south of the border, the level of price increase is staggering. Transport Scotland said the project, which has seen ticket prices heavily subsidised by the Scottish government for extended periods and standardised across the day, “did not achieve its aims” of persuading more people to swap car journeys for rail travel.
From 27th September, many commuters will be paying almost double the price of an existing train ticket at peak times including rush hours.
To give a flavour of the level of increase, a return ticket from Glasgow Queen Street to Edinburgh Waverley will increase from £16.20 to £31.40. Peak local trains from Hamilton Central to Glasgow Central will go up from £5.80 to £8.90, a 50 per cent rise. Ironically, the move will likely force even further rail commuters out to car journeys.
The return of peak time fares will be a huge disappointment to commuters and comes at a time when both the UK an Scottish Governments are having to make tough transport decisions with cuts to the overall UK infrastructure road and rail networks. Here in Scotland, critics have been vocal that more should be done to keep prices lower.
When the discounted scheme ends and reverts back to higher peak prices, a discount of sorts will be available. A 12-month discount on ScotRail season tickets and new “flexipasses” – allowing commuters to book 12 single journeys for the price of 10 – are instead going to be rolled out.
