The chief executive of industry body Scottish Financial Enterprise has claimed the return of peak fares on ScotRail is a “tax on work”.
The off-peak all-day fares trial ended on Friday at ScotRail, which is owned by the Scottish Government.
SFE chief executive Sandy Begbie said yesterday: “The return of peak rail fares will be felt by commuters from across our sector, not least those travelling between Scotland’s major cities to get to work.”
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He claimed: “Peak fares are a tax on work, with knock-on implications for what people spend in other parts of the economy. Their return will also have a negative impact on social mobility and opportunities for people to seek career advancement across Scotland.”
When it announced in August that peak fares would be reintroduced in late September, the Scottish Government estimated the pilot scheme boosted demand for ScotRail services by around 6.8%.
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It calculated that a 10% increase in demand for ScotRail services was required to ensure the cost of removing peak fares was paid for through the growth in rail travel generated.
Agency Transport Scotland in August estimated the cost of the full-year subsidy that would have been provided by the Scottish Government for the removal of peak fares by the time the pilot scheme ended on September 27 at about £40 million.
Mr Begbie said yesterday: “It’s essential that we focus on making public transport simpler, greener, and more affordable, to rebuild customer satisfaction and increase demand.
“Scotland is competing globally for inward investment while also trying to position itself as a net-zero leader. Accessibility and affordability of public transport are crucial to achieving these ambitions. We hope this decision can be revisited.”
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