A
call


for
MSPs
to
scrap
planned
rail
fare
increases
in
Scotland
on
1
April
has
been
outvoted
by
the
SNP
and
Liberal
Democrats,
who
supported
an
SNP
amendment
calling
for
the
increases
to
go
ahead.

The
Green
Party
had
tabled
a
motion
during
opposition
debate
time
which
said
the
forthcoming
3.8
per
cent
increase
should
be
reversed,
that
peak
time
fares
should
be
scrapped
permanently,
and
that
simplified
integrated
ticketing
should
be
introduced
on
ScotRail.

A
previous
pilot
in
which
peak
fares
were
experimentally
suspended
ended
in
August
last
year.
At
the
time,
transport
secretary
Fiona
Hyslop
said:
‘The
pilot
primarily
benefited
existing
train
passengers
and
those
with
medium
to
higher
incomes.
Although
passenger
levels
increased
to
a
maximum
of
around
6.8
per
cent,
it
would
require
a
10
per
cent
increase
in
passenger
numbers
for
the
policy
to
be
self-financing.’

Scottish
Greens
MSP
Mark
Ruskell
said:
‘I
am
deeply
disappointed
that
MSPs
across
the
chamber
voted
to
oppose
our
motion
and
to
keep
these
punishing
fares
in
place.
This
is
another
hammer
blow
to
workers,
students
and
commuters
who
are
already
struggling
with
rising
bills
in
every
corner
of
their
lives.

‘Fares
in
Scotland
are
already
among
the
most
expensive
in
Europe.
We
badly
need
action
to
cut
the
cost
and
make
rail
travel
more
affordable
for
all.
We
need
to
stop
financially
penalising
people
who
have
no
say
in
the
times
they
have
to
catch
the
train.

‘ScotRail
is
publicly
owned.
We
need
to
use
that
control
to
build
a
modern
green
railway
and
encourage
people
to
leave
their
cars
at
home.
If
we
are
serious
about
cutting
emissions
then
we
need
to
boost
public
transport,
and
rail
is
a
crucial
part
of
that.
Travelling
by
car
should
never
seem
like
the
only
option
available,
because
it
costs
both
people
and
planet
in
the
long
run.’

Meanwhile,
regulated
fares
in
England
will
rise
by
4.6
per
cent
on
Sunday.
The
rise
will
be
one
percentage
point
above
last
July’s
Retail
Price
Index,
which
is
normally
used
as
the
base
for
rail
fare
increases.
The
government
has
defended
the
rise,
saying:
‘It’s
the
lowest
absolute
increase
in
three
years.’

The
price
of
most
Railcards
will
also
go
up
from
£30
to
£35.
In
London,
TfL
Underground
and
rail
fares
will
rise
by
4.6
per
cent,
but
tram
and
bus
fares
will
not
change.

Regulated
fare
increases
will
also
be
4.6
per
cent
on
average
in
Wales,
but
some
fares
could
rise
by
as
much
as
6
per
cent,
because
Transport
for
Wales
will
be
applying
different
increases
to
each
category
of
fare.

Anytime
Day
Return
fares
and
Off
Peak
Return
fares
will
both
increase
by
6
per
cent
but
Seven-Day
Season
tickets
will
increase
by
3.5
per
cent
and
Anytime
Day
Singles
by
3
per
cent.

Transport
secretary
Ken
Skates
said:
‘We
understand
that
any
increase
in
fares
is
unwelcome
for
passengers,
but
we
have
tried
to
keep
the
increase
as
low
as
possible.
It
is
also
important
to
recognise
that
the
increasing
majority
of
passengers
no
longer
use
these
regulated
products.

‘They
are
a
vestige
of
the
privatised
railway,
established
to
ensure
that
private
operators
could
not
drive
huge
increases
in
fares
to
maximise
their
profits
at
the
expense
of
passengers.
It
is
my
hope
that
with
the
progress
of
rail
reform,
the
return
of
railway
services
into
the
public
sector
will
see
the
end
of
the
need
for
regulated
rail
fares.’

Transport
Focus
chief
executive
Alex
Robertson
said:
‘Our
research
shows
there
is
a
clear
mismatch
between
ticket
prices
and
the
service
people
expect
to
receive
for
what
they
have
paid.
This
needs
to
change.

‘Passengers
also
know
that
someone
must
pay
for
the
railway
and
funding
can
only
come
from
fares
or
taxes.
We
recognise
the
difficult
balance
that
must
be
struck
between
these
two
sources
of
income
and
that
the
Secretary
of
State
must
ultimately
decide
where
the
line
is
drawn.

‘What
passengers
will
rightly
expect
now
is
to
see
improvements
for
the
money
they
have
paid.
A
simpler,
easier
to
understand
fare
structure
also
can’t
come
soon
enough
and
would
attract
more
people
back
onto
the
railway.’

Paul
Tuohy
from
the
Campaign
for
Better
Transport
said:
‘Raising
rail
fares
above
inflation
and
hiking
the
cost
of
railcards
is
a
kick
in
the
teeth
for
people
who
rely
on
public
transport,
especially
those
on
low
income.
Doing
this
at
the
same
time
as
keeping
fuel
duty
frozen
sends
entirely
the
wrong
message.
To
tackle
air
pollution,
congestion
and
climate
change,
we
need
to
make
public
transport
the
attractive,
affordable
choice.’

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