WHEN is action going to be taken regarding unfair fares on our trains?
I’m baffled by the inequity encountered. This week (November 15) I booked a return Stonehaven-Edinburgh journey, travelling south on Monday November 20, returning Wednesday, November 22.
Just for once, I’m forced to use Abellio ScotRail for the southward leg, and travelling cattle class, I’m charged £20.35. I return by Virgin Trains East Coast, and for firsy class my fares is £16.50.
Is naked advantage being taken of us passengers? Or is this just an old-fashioned rip-off? Whatever, these fares are neither fair nor equitable.
But there’s more. The fares revolution promised by First ScotRail and then again by successor rail franchisee Abellio ScotRail hasn’t come to anything other than a continuance of puerile fares anomalies.
A colleague reports that it is £7.75 cheaper to take the Forres train all the way to Aberdeen, than it is to get off at Dyce (Forres-Dyce off-peak return £22.85; Forres-Aberdeen off peak day return £15.10).
These anomalies don’t sit well within a civilised nation. When can we see action by Transport Minister Humza Yousaf and Transport Scotland to eradicate the practice?
Gordon Casely,
Westerton Cottage, Crathes, Kincardineshire.
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