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TRAIN drivers in Scotland are calling for an end to rip-off “peak fares” in this week’s Scottish Budget to get the travelling public out of cars and back on to trains.
Drivers’ union Aslef is also seeking investment in the country’s rail network, a fares freeze, free travel for pensioners and people under 24 and an end to threatened service cuts.
Aslef wants the changes incorporated into the Scottish government’s Budget when it is announced on Thursday.
ScotRail services are run by publicly subsidised privateer Abellio, which is a subsidiary of the Dutch state-owned rail company.
Abellio’s franchise runs out in March next year, when rail services in Scotland will return to public control.
Aslef Scottish organiser Kevin Lindsay described the Budget as “the first big test” of the Scottish government’s commitment to meeting the climate targets set at last month’s Cop26 conference in Glasgow.
“Investing in rail by making fares more affordable, ruling out service cuts, improving accessibility and growing freight infrastructure is of huge importance if we are to take the climate action we need to,” he said.
