Rail unions call for peak fares to be scrapped

Unions say making the pilot permanent would help the climate and the economy

Scotland's rail unions, the STUC and environmental groups have made a joint call for peak train fares to be permanently scrapped.

A pilot scheme running on ScotRail since October made fares the same at all times of the day.

This was due to end in the spring, but the Scottish government extended it until 28 June.

Transport Scotland said the impact of the pilot on the publicly-owned rail operator would be "carefully" considered.

Rail unions Aslef, the TSSA, the RMT and Unite, the STUC, Friends of the Earth Scotland and other climate groups have written to Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop.

The letter states: "The overall approach by the Government must be to make fares as affordable as possible.

"This is what will encourage and incentivise the Scottish travelling public on to trains and away from private car travel."

Peak rail fares, they claim, is an "unfair tax on workers" and present a barrier to rail travel for many.

The group said making the pilot permanent would help on both climate change and the economy.

The letter added: "If you were to restore peak fares it would be a retrograde step that would send exactly the wrong message at the wrong time."

'Win for workers'

Jim Baxter, Aslef’s committee member for Scotland, told the BBC’s Good Morning Scotland programme that the pilot scheme had “already been a success”.

“Travel is up on Scotland’s railways since this was introduced in October last year,” he said.

“The more people that travel on the railways, the more income comes in.

“Setting a steady fare system right across the day, without having to tax workers, makes perfect sense and encourages more people onto the railway.”

Mr Baxter said Rail Industry Association research from 2021 showed that every pound spent on rail travel generated £2.50 into the wider economy.

“So this is a win for Scottish workers and a win for the Scottish government as it grows the economy,” he added.

Transport Scotland said the extension of the pilot had allowed more data to be collected on travel patterns which would "help to inform the final evaluation".

A spokesperson said: "The Scottish Government will carefully consider the impact of the pilot and the long-term sustainability of such a proposition before committing to any further measures after June 2024.

"This trial is an exciting and unique opportunity to encourage more people to leave their cars at home and choose a safe, reliable, and green form of public transport."