ScotRail has eliminated peak fares starting September 1, allowing passengers to travel on busy weekday trains without incurring higher costs. Previously, tickets were priced according to travel times, with peak fare tickets for routes like Edinburgh to Glasgow seeing nearly a 50% reduction and Perth to Dundee fares dropping by a third. This change aims to encourage commuters to switch from cars to trains.
The Scottish government, which has operated ScotRail since 2022, introduced a trial for the fare adjustment in October 2023. Initial results indicated limited success, with only a 6.8% increase in passenger numbers over the trial period, equating to approximately four million additional journeys, two million of which replaced car trips. Despite the modest uptake, the Scottish ministers deemed the trial financially unviable as it required a 10% increase to become self-sustaining.
First Minister John Swinney announced the decision to scrap peak fares again, stating this approach would not only aid commuters financially but also benefit the environment by promoting train travel. The expected annual cost of this fare change is between £40 million and £45 million, funded through ScotRail’s budget, which includes passenger revenue and an annual £1.6 billion government contribution.
Feedback from passengers has been generally favorable. Some individuals previously unaware of the fare change expressed relief at the potential savings. However, concerns remain regarding the impact on lower-income travelers, as the pilot was reported to mainly assist existing passengers rather than attract new ones. The aim is to ensure the new fare structure yields increased ridership, ultimately contributing to more consistent revenue for ScotRail.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c98lzygd5vjo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss