Rail network must be ‘financially sustainable’, says Swinney

EDINBURGH: Scotland’s rail network must be “financially sustainable”, First Minister John Swinney has said as peak fares were reinstated.

The Government scrapped the increased charges temporarily last year as part of a pilot programme to encourage people back onto trains. But the plans did not have the required impact, Transport Scotland said, with the initiative ending on Monday. As a result, and with rail fare hikes, tickets between Glasgow and Edinburgh have risen to £31.40 (from £16.20), while those between the capital and Perth – where Mr Swinney spoke to journalists on Monday – rose to £34.30 (from £21.60).

“We’ve got to put in place a rail network that is financially sustainable,” he said. “We’ve given the peak fares pilot a lot more time than we originally planned, we promised to do it for six months, we actually did it for 12 months, to give it as much opportunity to demonstrate its value.

“Unfortunately, it did not deliver the sufficient shift inpassenger number to justify the cost involved and the Government has got to live within its means.”The decision, which comes as the Scottish Government wrestles with financial issues, has been criticised by opposition parties and trade unions.

Scottish Labour claimed peak travel between October last year and July had increased by almost 40 per cent compared the same period the year before – though Transport Scotland said the figures were “misleading”.Passenger numbers increased by a maximum of 6.8 per cent as a result of the pilot, the agency said, with a rise of at least 10 per cent required for the scheme to break even.