Fares
on
ScotRail


will
rise
by
4.8
per
cent
on
3
July,
having
been
frozen
since
January
last
year.

The
prices
of
season
tickets
and
flexi-passes
will
not
be
going
up,
however.

In
addition,
ScotRaiil,
which
was
renationalised
last
year,
is
planning
to
abolish
peak
time
fares
for
six
months,
in
a
pilot
scheme.

The
unions
and
opposition
politicians
have
criticised
the
increase,
although
it
is
less
than
March’s
rise
in
England
and
Wales,
which
was
5.9
per
cent.

Transport
secretary
Mairi
McAllan
said:
‘The
Scottish
Government
rightly
made
the
decision
to
freeze
fares
as
part
of
its
response
to
the
cost-of-living
crisis.
While
this
has
now
remained
in
place
for
around
18
months,
it
is
simply
no
longer
sustainable.

‘From
3
July
2023,
ScotRail
fares
will
increase
by
4.8
per
cent,
compared
to
5.9
per
cent
fares
rise
across
the
rest
of
Great
Britain,
current
RPI
of
8.7
per
cent
and
the
August
2022
RPI
rate
of
12.3
per
cent.

‘This
fares
rise
does
not
include
season
tickets
and
flexi-passes
which
will
remain
frozen
at
current
prices,
ensuring
those
who
use
rail
frequently
are
not
discouraged
from
continuing
to
do
so.

‘We
know
that
any
increase
is
unwelcome
for
passengers,
therefore
we
have
kept
the
rise
as
low
as
possible
to
maintain
the
attractiveness
and
affordability
of
rail
as
a
travel
option.
We
aim
to
continue
this
approach
with
the
peaks
fares
removal
pilot
from
October
this
year.’

Labour’s
transport
spokesman
Alex
Rowley
described
the
rise
as
‘eye-watering’,
and
he
warned
that
it
‘will
hit
the
lowest
paid
workers
hardest’.

He
continued:
‘Our
railways
are
already
unreliable
and
overpriced,
and
now
these
punitive
fare
hikes
will
drive
even
more
people
off
trains.’