Question reference: S6W-16763
- Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: 5 April 2023
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Current status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 21 April 2023
Question
To ask the Scottish Government, following the announcement in August 2022 that the next ScotRail fares increase would be postponed by two months to March 2023, when it expects to announce the new fare prices.
Answer
The Scottish Government took the decision last year to freeze ScotRail fares as part of a suite of measures to tackle the ongoing cost of living crisis. More broadly the Scottish Government has committed to pilot the removal of ScotRail peak fares on all ScotRail routes from October this year.
This initiative will operate over a six-month period, following which the Scottish Government will carefully consider its impact and the long-term sustainability of such a proposition.
The Scottish Government is considering future fare options whilst taking account of the extremely challenging fiscal climate facing both rail passengers and funders and I expect to provide an update on this in due course.