A MASSIVE 211 per cent increase in train fares is coming down the tracks for Dumfries passengers.
Travellers heading to Carlisle at peak times from the end of next month are facing a huge hike in costs, from the current £7.60 for a return to £23.60.
Furthermore, there’ll be an 80 per cent uplift in the price of a return from Dumfries to Glasgow, going from £24 to £43.20.
It’s all due to the reintroduction of peak time ScotRail fares by the Scottish Government.
South Scotland MSP Colin Smyth has described it as “completely shocking” and is calling on the government to carry out a review of rail fares.
He said: “The increases set to come into play in September are going to affect travellers all over the country, however, it is those in Dumfries and Galloway who will suffer most. Peak time return travel from Dumfries to Carlisle, which is a very common journey, look set to rise by over 200 per cent which is completely shocking. No other journey of a similar length in Scotland sees a rise as large as this. The cost of a peak return ticket for the 30 mile journey from Dumfries to Carlisle will soon be nearly twice the price of a similar length journey between Kilmarnock and Glasgow.”
He also highlighted an illogical twist in that the peak 7.58 am train from Dumfries is classed as a non peak service after Annan and then subject to lower rates.
“People may as well drive to Annan from Dumfries and get the same train there so save a fortune,” he said, adding: “People across my rural constituency already have to deal with terrible public transport and they are now being faced with paying so much more for the same awful services which has been cut in recent months.
“The Scottish Government need to explain why the differences between a peak and off-peak fare vary so much across the country. These increases are simply unacceptable and unfair to commuters in our region.”
Also calling for answers is Galloway and West Dumfries MSP Finlay Carson, who said: “These huge price hikes are a hammer blow for hard-pressed passengers.
“This will do nothing to encourage people to ditch their car and use the train for work and comes on top of passengers having to endure a reduced timetable as well right now.”
