Scottish Greens call for first class only rail carriages to be scrapped
The Scottish Greens are calling on ScotRail to remove all first class seating to free up more capacity on busy trains.
Investigations by party researchers discovered that in 2023/24 only 2% of first class seats allocated were being used, meaning the vast majority sat empty - while those in standard class were routinely left to stand.
Further data released under Freedom of Information showed in 2021/22, only 1% of first class rail seats were used across all lines in Scotland where they are available, with 1.73% in 2022/23.
From April 2023 to April 2024, a total of 39,000 first class tickets were bought on Scotrail services, this is a tiny fraction of the 2 million that were available.
Now, with the SNP having chosen to hike up rail fares, the party says all rail users deserve the best possible experience on Scotland’s publicly owned greener trains.
The Scottish Greens transport spokesperson, Mark Ruskell MSP, said:
“Our railways should be for all of us. Every journey on a Scotrail service should be a first class experience, it shouldn’t be determined by your ability to pay extra.
“We’ve all been in the situation where we struggle to find seats or are forced to stand in cramped carriages, only for first class to be almost completely empty. That’s such a waste. It’s not good for anyone.
“Rail companies across the UK are reducing first class services. It is time for Scotrail to do the same. If we are to have a rail renaissance in Scotland we need low cost, reliable and accessible rail.
“By removing so-called first class carriages we can increase capacity while building a fairer, better and more inclusive rail network that works for passengers, staff and the planet.”
London Northwestern Railway, Southeastern Rail and Greater Anglia have all taken steps to phase out first-class seats in recent years.
The Scottish Greens are calling for similar steps to be taken on Scotrail services, with the immediate declassification of First Class carriages until such time as they can be replaced by standard class seating.