Scottish Greens to bring vote on cutting the cost of rail
The Scottish Greens will use debate time tomorrow to bring a vote on halting the above inflation rail fare hikes that are set for April and permanently removing peak rail fares.
The debate, which will be led by the party’s transport spokesperson, Mark Ruskell MSP, will focus on making rail a cheaper and easily accessible option for workers, students and regular commuters.
When in government the Scottish Greens secured a landmark scheme to remove peak rail fares for 12 months, with the SNP reintroducing them last year.
Mr Ruskell said:
“Train fares in Scotland are among the highest in Europe, with peak fares being particularly punishing.
“If we want more people to leave their cars at home then rail has to be affordable and accessible for all.
“Particularly at a time when so many people are struggling, it is wrong to be asking them to pay even more just to get to work or study.
“When the Scottish Greens were in government we removed peak rail fares, only for the SNP to bring them back once we were out of the room. It is time to scrap them permanently.
“It was right to take ScotRail into public ownership, but there is no point in having a people’s railway if nobody can afford to use it."
Mr Ruskell added:
“The Scottish Parliament has the chance to stand with households, families and regular commuters who are being stretched to their limit.
“I hope that MSPs from across our parliament will back my motion and join the call for cheaper, greener and more accessible rail across Scotland.”
Wording of Mr Ruskell's motion
Mark Ruskell: Cheaper Rail Fares—That the Parliament believes that rail fares in Scotland must be cheaper; regrets the decision by the Scottish Government to end the off-peak all-day pilot in September 2024, despite an increase of passenger demand by 6.8% and an average 17% cost saving to passengers; understands that expensive and complex ticketing deters passengers from choosing to travel by train; acknowledges that, in order to fulfil the Scottish Government’s ambition of reducing car kilometres by 20% by 2030, rail services and public transport must be cheaper and more accessible, and calls, therefore, on the Scottish Government to reverse the 3.8% increase to rail fares coming into effect from 1 April 2025, to permanently remove peak-time rail fares, and to simplify public transport fares, through the introduction of integrated ticketing, as soon as possible.