RMT warns of climate cost of latest Scottish rail fare hike

RMT warns of climate cost of latest Scottish rail fare hike

24 January 2022

RMT Press Office:

New research reveals the price of using rail has risen more than four times quicker than the cost of petrol.

Union also warns that rail service and ticket office cuts mean passengers will be paying “more for less”

As rail passengers in Scotland face a fares hike of 3.8%, analysis by rail union RMT reveals that since the start of 2012, regulated peak fares in Scotland have increased by a massive 38%, whilst the average cost of petrol has increased by just 8.6%. In light of this stark disparity between the rising cost of the sustainable rail network compared to fuel, RMT questions whether the Scottish Government is serious about meeting its climate change targets.

The fare increase comes just days after ScotRail announced proposals to reduce opening hours at 117 of its 143 ticket offices, including the complete closure of three ticket offices. The attack on ticket offices follows proposals to slash ScotRail services by more than 10% and a cut to the rail infrastructure budget of £74m (15%).

RMT is fighting these cuts that will worsen passenger safety, security and accessibility and will push passengers away from the sustainable rail network and into cars.

The union is calling on the Scottish Government to stop presiding over a damaging decline in Scotland’s railway and to scrap the cuts to ScotRail ticket offices and services and invest properly in Scotland’s rail infrastructure and affordable fares.

General Secretary Mick Lynch said:

“We already have a cost-of-living crisis and now there is a climate cost to latest Scottish rail fare hikes which will deter people from using rail, especially when we know the price of using rail has risen more than four times quickly than the cost of petrol in the last decade.

“Rising fares, fewer services and cuts to ticket offices and safety critical rail infrastructure means ScotRail passengers will be paying more for less.

“Cuts at ticket offices also means passengers will be denied advice on the best value fares and we are urging passengers to oppose the ticket office cuts in the current consultation and to join us in our protest outside the First Minister’s official residence on 31 January to demand a better deal for public transport.

“On the one hand, the Scottish Government has said it wants to reduce the distances travelled by car for a ‘healthier, fairer and greener Scotland’, yet at the same time it is increasing rail fares during a cost-of-living crisis and presiding over proposals to reduce ticket office hours by a third, slash services by more than 10% and significantly cut funding for rail infrastructure.

“If the Scottish Government is serious about fighting climate change then it needs to scrap these cuts and instead invest in creating an affordable, accessible and properly staffed rail network that enables people to ditch the car in favour of the low carbon railway.”

Notes to editors: 

 

Scottish peak and off-peak regulated fares will increase by 3.8% on Monday 24th January 2022 - https://www.transport.gov.scot/news/rail-fares-increase-level-confirmed/

 

Scottish annual rail fare increases to regulated peak tickets are below: 

 

Year

Annual % increase

Index 2011 - 100

2011

 

100

2012

6.00%

106

2013

3.1%

109.3

2014

3.1%

112.7

2015

2.5%

115.5

2016

1.0%

116.6

2017

1.9%

118.9

2018

3.6%

123.1

2019

3.2%

127.1

2020

2.8%

130.6

2021

1.6%

132.7

2022

3.8%

137.8

Source: https://spice-spotlight.scot/2020/01/03/scotrail-annual-fare-increase-frequently-asked-questions/

 

In the week commencing 16/01/2012 the average cost per litre of petrol was 133.29p. The average cost per litre of petrol for the week commencing 17/01/2022 was 144.8, an increase of 8.6%. 

 

ScotRail is consulting on changes to ticket office opening hours which would lead to a reduction in opening hours at 117 stations, including the complete closure of three stations (Cartsdyke, Clydebank & Woodhall). The full list of proposals is here - https://www.scotrail.co.uk/scotrail-ticket-office-consultation

 

RMT’s petition, opposing the proposed cuts to ticket office hours is here - https://www.megaphone.org.uk/petitions/stop-the-cuts-to-scotrail-ticket-offices

 

Details of the cut to the rail infrastructure budget are here - https://www.rmt.org.uk/news/scottish-government-playing-fast-and-loose-with-peoples-lives/

 

On 31st January 2022, RMT is holding a march and demonstration to highlight the threats to Scotland’s public transport and energy networks. This will commence at 11am at Edinburgh Waverley station and march to Bute House, Edinburgh.

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Tagged with: ScotRail, Scottish Government, SNP, Rail Fares, Cuts, Ticket Offices, Services