ScotRail’s peak-time fare scheme is removed from passenger numbers

A pilot scheme to scrap ScotRail peak-time fares is due to end in September after “limited success”.

Transport Scotland said the project, which saw ticket prices subsidized by the Scottish government and standardized throughout the day, “failed to achieve its aim” of persuading more people to swap car journeys for rail travel.

Analysis by the body recommended ending the scheme due to financial pressures, as well as increasing fares on popular peak routes including between Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Critics described the decision to end the plan from September 27 as a “hammer blow” to commuters and the climate.

Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop said there had been a 6.8% increase in ridership during the pilot, but it would need to be 10% for the policy to be self-funding.

He said the pilot would “primarily benefit existing rail passengers and those with medium to higher incomes”.

He added: “Pilots will be welcomed by saving hundreds of passengers and in some cases thousands of pounds in the cost of living crisis, but this level of subsidy cannot continue in the current financial climate just on this scale.”

First Minister John Swinney announced the extension of the scheme, which starts in October 2023until the end of September on a visit to Edinburgh Waverley Station in May.

It was launched six months ago and has seen the cost of rush hour tickets between the capital and Glasgow almost halved from £28.90 to £14.90.

When the scheme ends, the highest ticket price on the route will rise by 8.6% to £31.40.

However, off-peak super returns will also be reintroduced on certain routes, including Inverness to Elgin and Glasgow to Stirling.

A 12-month discount on ScotRail season tickets and new “flexipasses” – allowing commuters to take 12 single journeys for the price of 10 – will also be launched.

The move has been described as “undermining” Scotland’s climate targets by the Scottish Greens.

The party’s transport spokesman, Mark Ruskell, described the impact on passengers as “very disappointing”.

“Behaviour change doesn’t happen overnight and by making the move permanent we can encourage more people to change the way they travel,” he said.

Meanwhile, Labour’s transport spokesman Alex Rowley accused the SNP of “forcing workers back into their cars”.

He said: “The peak fares are purely a tax on workers trying to travel to work in a more sustainable way – it’s just another way for working Scots to pay the price for the SNP’s financial mismanagement.

“Affordable and reliable rail services can unlock huge environmental and economic benefits, but it is clear that the SNP cannot take bold action to do this as they continue to undermine public ownership opportunities.”

ScotRail staff have been working to rule, resulting in reduced, temporary timetables amid a pay dispute.

The publicly-owned rail company is cutting 600 services and introducing emergency timetables after four unions rejected pay offers earlier this month.

Aslef, Unite, the RMT and the TSSA have all rejected a three-year deal that was canceled from April this year until 2027 which would have seen workers receive a 2% rise every April and a 1% rise the following January.

Jim Baxter, executive board member for train drivers’ union Aslef, said the decision was a “disaster for workers”.

He said: “If Scotland is going to meet its climate targets it needs to invest properly in transport and make it affordable.

“It does the opposite and will take money out of the pockets of hard-pressed Scottish workers, encouraging many to return to their cars and damaging the environment as a result.”

Linda Somerville, STUC deputy general secretary, said: “This is a short-sighted, regressive decision from the Scottish government which makes a mockery of sustainable travel and net-zero targets.

“Peak fares are a stealth tax on workers that’s bad for the climate, bad for our communities and bad for people’s wallets. Fares have increased by an impressive 9% during the trial, and commuters will now face their second and highest fare increase when they go up .

The return of peak time fares will be a disappointment to commuters.

The cost of a daily journey between Glasgow and Edinburgh will almost double.

The initial pilot project to eliminate peak time tariffs was due to last for six months and was extended twice.

But there is genuine hope that ridership will increase enough to allow the scheme to pay for itself and become permanent at no cost to taxpayers.

The Scottish Government says the people who will benefit the most are rail travelers and people on medium to high incomes. They face difficult spending decisions and believe they cannot continue subsidies in the current financial climate.

The risk is that it will go down like a lead balloon with some commuters.

It is important to note that the fares that will be paid from the end of September will not be higher than they would have been if the pilot project had not been implemented.

But some will have gotten used to lower prices and felt the impact of a significant increase.

Scotrail will hope season ticket discounts and the return of off-peak super tickets can soften the blow.