Fife Train fares: unfare

[overthewater]

I'am trying to find Fife free press look in to this;

http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/new..._Fife_rail_passengers_are_being__ripped_off_/

IT’S official: West Fife rail passengers are being “ripped off” with unfair ticket pricing.

The cost can be up to three times more for the same length of journey and Fife Council is demanding an end to the inequality.

A council statement said that, following a recent meeting with Transport Scotland and Abellio, there was “an acknowledgement that there are significant price differences for Fife commuters”.

Neither the Scottish government nor the rail operator disagree and yet there is no plan to rectify the issue.

The council’s deputy leader Lesley Laird said: “Fife commuters are being ripped off.

“I am extremely disappointed by the response received to date on the inequality of rail pricing in Fife.

“It is not acceptable for Transport Scotland to continue with a pricing policy where Fifers pay two to three times the price for the same rail mile journey than other parts of Scotland.

“Just because this is a very challenging issue should not mean that we do not all actively work together to address it.

“A fair and more equal pricing structure is fundamental for a fairer and more equal Fife.

“And that is why a working group to achieve this must be set up now.”

However, the blame was being passed along the line as SNP MP for Dunfermline and West Fife, Douglas Chapman, accused Abellio of “using Fife commuters as a cash cow”.

Cllr Laird maintained that many of the approaches adopted by the Scottish Government relating to a rail pricing structure were “out of date” and must be changed.

She said: “As Scotland’s national transport authority, we are looking to them to do their job to ensure that there is equity and fairness within the transport system for the whole of Scotland.

“If we are serious about an agenda of fairness and equality this pricing issue must be resolved.”

The Labour councillor said the current national rail pricing policy offered by Transport Scotland was “totally at odds” with the government’s election manifesto of fairness and equality.

She also stated that rail prices are set by Transport Scotland and the operator of the ScotRail service, Abellio, run the contract on the basis of the tender document set by the government body.

However, a Transport Scotland spokesman told the Press: “Setting fares is a commercial matter for the franchisee to manage.

“Scottish ministers ensure that fares are kept below certain thresholds by regulating the maximum permitted annual increase for selected fares, including Anytime and season tickets, to the level of the Retail Price Index (RPI) for regulated peak fares and one per cent below RPI for regulated off-peak fares.

“The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring public transport remains affordable for all.

“We will continue to engage with Fife Council to understand its concerns in respect of the price of rail fares.”

Mr Chapman felt the finger of blame should be pointed at the operator and said: “I’d be very keen to see a review into the pricing structure.

“There is no doubt that Abellio are using Fife commuters as a cash cow and that’s unfair to those who love living in West Fife but have to work in Edinburgh or Glasgow.

“It’s up to Abellio to review the pricing structure as they are the trade operators and it’s important for them to take the first step and to admit the pricing for West Fife commuters needs to be reviewed.”

And he added: “They should be looking to come forward and to see that West Fife commuters are put on an even basis with the rest of Scotland.”

Shirley-Anne Somerville, MSP for Dunfermline, said: “I will be seeking a meeting with representatives from ScotRail, in my role as MSP for Dunfermline, to discuss train fares in Fife and how they are calculated, in order to ensure that Fifers aren’t left with a higher fare than elsewhere.”

Ms Somerville highlighted Scottish government action on freezing rail fares, including a freeze on the cost of off-peak rail fares.

She said: “This means that four out of 10 Scotrail journeys will be frozen at the current level, encouraging passengers to increase their uptake of more lightly used services, where feasible.

“This ensures fairness and affordability, and signals the Scottish government’s ambition to encourage more Scots to travel by train.”

A ScotRail spokesman said: “Abellio ScotRail is more than happy to meet with elected representatives in Fife to discuss rail fare pricing and will accommodate any meeting requests.

“It’s worth noting that fares are calculated using a number of criteria, including frequency of services, market demand and managing capacity on peak services.”

 

[Dr Hoo]

Many fares to and from Fife have been 'high' going back to BR days as the competitive situation with Forth Bridge tolls and parking problems in Edinburgh meant that rail could command a premium.

The Edinburgh-Fife-Dundee route was one of the first to get Class 150 Sprinters back in the 1980s and the price rises soon followed.

Evidently the news has finally reached the local press.

 

[me123]

They'll also very likely be comparing the situation to that in the Greater Glasgow area, where historically the fares in the SPT area are very much lower than elsewhere in Scotland (and still are, even though SPT has minimal involvement in rail nowadays).

 

[hibtastic]

The Fife circle trains are packed as they are! Although I'd love to see cheaper fares that needs to go hand in hand with more capacity. Two-car 158s really aren't suitable on this route at the best of times.

 

[Starmill]

I wonder what they're actually complaining about. I can see their point, Fife fares do seem to produce a high pence per mile compared with fares in Strathclyde and things like Bridge of Allan / North Berwick to Edinburgh, or even kinda Glasgow - Edinburgh. But do they want cheaper season tickets? Cheaper Off-Peak tickets? I note that for Smartcard holders there are now Super Off-Peak Day tickets which represent excellent value. The fares aren't quite as good a deal as some other areas in Scotland, but if some English logic (I'm thinking York - Doncaster, Huddersfield - Stalybridge or Swindon - Didcot) applied to these fares...

 

[overthewater]

Evidently the news has finally reached the local press.

The local papers have being dealing with the crappy rolling stock over the last 15 years. I would LOVE to see that BBC news report about how bad the stock being used, back from 2001.

 

[47271]

Having forked out £30 the other day to go from Perth to Glasgow and back, and not even to get in until just before 10am, I don't think that they're the only ones in Scotland paying high fares.

 

[keppoch69]

I can only share as an occasional visitor to Fife rather than a daily commuter so my experience will be different from others. I have no problem with the price I pay from Lenzie(LNZ) to Cowdenbeath(COW) which is £15.10 single. The stagecoach from Glasgow into Halbeath is only slightly cheaper, then add on a single fare on the First bus into Buchanan Bus Station, it equates.
I do have a 45 minute walk to the railway station, but that across the island platform at Haymarket onto a COW terminator is well worth the walk. When I travel, it is late morning and the 2 carriage train is light and spacious to be honest.

 

[me123]

Having forked out £30 the other day to go from Perth to Glasgow and back, and not even to get in until just before 10am, I don't think that they're the only ones in Scotland paying high fares.

If you're going for a day return, marginal savings (just over a pound) can be enjoyed if you split your tickets at Stirling. That's enough for a cup of tea. Depending on the times, you may even be able to use an Off Peak Day Return between Stirling and Glasgow, saving you even more money (although you're then bound by peak restrictions).

Worth having a look next time you travel. There's usually a few anomalies like this on the Glasgow-Dundee stretch if you're doing a day return.

 

[overthewater]

I can only share as an occasional visitor to Fife rather than a daily commuter so my experience will be different from others. I have no problem with the price I pay from Lenzie(LNZ) to Cowdenbeath(COW) which is £15.10 single. The stagecoach from Glasgow into Halbeath is only slightly cheaper, then add on a single fare on the First bus into Buchanan Bus Station, it equates.
I do have a 45 minute walk to the railway station, but that across the island platform at Haymarket onto a COW terminator is well worth the walk. When I travel, it is late morning and the 2 carriage train is light and spacious to be honest.

Stagecoach Fare from Glasgow into Halbeath is £11.70. East Scotland Dayrider is £14.50. while the anytime return £18. £3: I wouldn't say is slightly cheaper.

 

[ld0595]

If you're going for a day return, marginal savings (just over a pound) can be enjoyed if you split your tickets at Stirling. That's enough for a cup of tea. Depending on the times, you may even be able to use an Off Peak Day Return between Stirling and Glasgow, saving you even more money (although you're then bound by peak restrictions).

Worth having a look next time you travel. There's usually a few anomalies like this on the Glasgow-Dundee stretch if you're doing a day return.

Splitting tickets at Perth is significantly cheaper when doing Dundee to Glasgow - £37.40 versus £24 (£8.70 return to Perth and £15.70 return Perth to Glasgow)

 

[47271]

Splitting tickets at Perth is significantly cheaper when doing Dundee to Glasgow - £37.40 versus £24 (£8.70 return to Perth and £15.70 return Perth to Glasgow)

Although my problem was (and regularly is) that the £15.70 ticket from Perth, the Offpeak Day Return, doesn't get me there early enough and the same would apply if I was starting from Dundee and splitting.

I'll look at splitting at Stirling as suggested by ME123, thank you.

 

[me123]

Splitting tickets at Perth is significantly cheaper when doing Dundee to Glasgow - £37.40 versus £24 (£8.70 return to Perth and £15.70 return Perth to Glasgow)

Absolutely, done it many times myself. You can often get a marginally cheaper fare still by splitting at both Stirling and Perth.

 

[Carntyne]

The local papers have being dealing with the crappy rolling stock over the last 15 years. I would LOVE to see that BBC news report about how bad the stock being used, back from 2001.

The same stock as the rest of Scotland? Plus two additional loco hauls? Some other routes would kill for the same.

 

[overthewater]

The same stock as the rest of Scotland? Plus two additional loco hauls? Some other routes would kill for the same.

The same crap which needed to have engineers on broad to make sure there kept working?

 

[route:oxford]

Having forked out £30 the other day to go from Perth to Glasgow and back, and not even to get in until just before 10am, I don't think that they're the only ones in Scotland paying high fares.

Loads of £5-£9.50 single fares available if you book a few days in advance.

Although I understand it's causing anger in places like Gleneagles where a Glasgow To/From Perth ticket costs a £5, but there the only single fare available is a £14.80.

This is what happens when you have fools in charge of policy who dictate the provision of "discounted or advance" inter-city tickets in Scotland within a franchise arrangement that subsequently abuses the people who live in between cities.