‘No final decision’ on rail fares in Scotland

Scotrail - Flickr

Transport Minister Humza Yousaf has said no final decision has been made on rail fares in Scotland, after train tickets across the rest of the UK face a 2.3 per cent rise in the new year.

Regulated fares are capped at a 1.9 per cent rise, but unregulated tickets will go up by more, the Rail Delivery Group, which represents train operators and Network Rail, has announced.

However in Scotland the Government has come under pressure from Scottish Labour to freeze prices in the wake of poor performance against targets by operator Abellio.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said she would consider the idea.

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Yousaf tweeted today: “To confirm, as FM previously said - we are continuing to consider fare rates in Scotland and no final decision has been taken for next year.”

Labour’s transport spokesman Neil Bibby said: “After months of disruption on the rail network, passengers in Scotland deserve a break.

“People are fed up with overcrowded, delayed and expensive trains and it would be insulting to ask passengers to pay for more for the service they are currently receiving."

Trade Unions described a meeting with Yousaf on bringing Scotrail into public ownership as “constructive”.

Stephen Boyd, assistant secretary of the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) said: “the STUC and rail unions look forward to working with the minister, Transport Scotland and other partners over the coming months to ensure that a viable public sector bid is developed.”

Meanwhile train faults continue to plague Scotrail, with broken trains at Kilmarnock and Partick causing disruption across the network on Friday night.