Union victory on peak fares can get help Scotland’s railways back on track.
In the Scottish Parliament last week the four rail unions re-launched ‘A Vision for Scotland’s Railways’. This report, launched initially at COP26, was something that we at Unity Consulting were proud to have worked with Scotland’s 4 rail unions, ASLEF, RMT, TSSA and Unite to present a vision for a new world-class public railway system as part of a wider integrated transport system.
Our joint vision for Scotland’s Railways made clear the fundamental importance our railways play in delivering social policies, addressing inequalities, growing the economy and helping Scotland meet its climate targets.
Our planet is on fire and every single one of us needs to play our part in living more sustainably. The Scottish Government recognises that Scotland must contribute to the global effort to address climate change and has developed strategies accordingly. Everyone understands that transport is one of Scotland’s main sources of pollution and that road transport is far and away the biggest polluter within the transport sector. In contrast, other than walking and cycling, rail travel is the greenest, cleanest and most sustainable mode of transport.
Set against this context investing in rail travel, for passengers and freight, is the proverbial no-brainer. We need to shift people and goods onto trains and wean them off roads - something, again, that the Scottish Government accepts. We argued in our report that to encourage people onto trains we have to make rail travel better integrated with other modes of transport, more accessible, more attractive and much, much more affordable.
We also made clear that Scotland’s rail services must finally stop private shareholders making fortunes from our railways, which should be seen as an essential public good and service and not a cash cow for shareholders. Such as those rolling stock companies, a perverse legacy from privatisation and the breakup of the system, who are still renting trains to train operating companies and raking in huge profits.
The Scottish Government must ensure that its progressive rhetoric turns into hard action. On climate action there is no time to lose. The Scottish Government must start putting its money where its mouth is on a long-term basis, and recognise investment in our railways as an investment for our future well-being, as well as for the here and now. This could also mean raising finance, perhaps through a green bond scheme, and bringing the trains themselves back into public ownership instead of leasing them from exploitative rolling stock companies.
Our railways need more, not fewer staff, including drivers, conductors, inspectors and cleaners, to help make travel more accessible and safer for the disabled, the elderly and for women. And, they need more investment to help ScotRail reduce fares. In ‘A Vision for Scotland’s Railways’ we recommended an overall reduction in fares, the introduction of free fares for under 24’s and over 60’s as well as the abolition of peak fares.
When John Swinney announced, in the Scottish Government’s budget statement just before Christmas, that the Government was going to resource a 6 month pilot to end peak fares the rail unions, including ASLEF (who we are delighted to continue working with) were pleased that they had listened to our recommendation.
After the confusion about how the pilot would be rolled out it is pleasing that the Government have confirmed that the pilot applies across all of Scotland. However ,the Scottish Government must go further. If it is truly serious about shifting people from road to rail then they must abolish peak fares permanently. Abolishing peak fares is a very strong tool to help get people onto trains. Paying for them should not be seen as a subsidy, but instead as a fundamentally important investment that helps people at the time when their personal finances are under pressure like never before and which will help encourage a behavioural change and shift people from roads to trains.
The time for rhetoric is over. It is time for investment in a railways system that is accessible, integrated and most of all affordable. Ending peak fares won’t do all of that in and of itself, but it would be a good progressive step in the right direction. Permanent abolition of peak fares is the type of radical action that will give Scotland any chance of meeting its climate targets.
One thing’s for sure: carrying on as normal won’t accomplish anything other than more of the same and that will definitely not help put the climate fires out.
