By Lucy Ashton
Scottish Liberal Democrats have today revealed that in the first 10 months since ScotRail was taken into government hands, more than
Scottish Liberal Democrats have today revealed that in the first 10 months since ScotRail was taken into government hands, more than £200,000 was spent on taxis to replace cancelled or late rail services.
Freedom of information requests submitted by Scottish Liberal Democrats to ScotRail revealed that the total amount paid to private taxi and hire vehicle services for replacing a cancelled rail service from 1st April 2022 to 4th February 2023 was £205,854.41.
In this time, the single most expensive journey was a fare of £798.30 from Wick to Inverness calling at all stops in between by an 8-seater taxi. The service also highlighted a journey from Inverness Station to Forsinard Via Wick then Thurso. The cost of this was £549.94.
Scottish Liberal Democrat transport spokesperson Jill Reilly said: “This is an astonishing sum of money for newly nationalised ScotRail to have shelled out in less than a year since the Government took it over.
Liberal Democrat transport spokesperson Jill Reilly.
“Even worse, it comes hot on the heels of the news that the service has racked up almost £650,000 in payments for delayed rail services.
“This is money that should be available for cutting fares and updating trains, carriages and stations.
“Commuters and rail users need a quality service that they can rely on if we are to tempt people out of private cars. The Scottish Government must work with ScotRail to cut down on their reliance on expensive and inefficient replacement transport services and deliver the rail service that taxpayers and travellers pay for.
“Scottish Liberal Democrats are committed to delivering a public transport system that works for all communities, for all ages, and for the climate. That’s why we want to see fares cut, new options for two/three-day a week season tickets and for the government to work with councils to explore new lines, particularly in areas where public transport links are poor.”
The Scottish Liberal Democrats submitted two freedom of information requests asking for the total amount spent on rail replacement taxis between April-September 2022 and October 2022-February 2023. They can be found here.
When taken together, these requests show that a total of £205,854.41 was spent on rail replacement taxis between 1st April 2022 and 4th February 2023.
You can find the Scottish Liberal Democrat analysis of the amount that ScotRail has spent on delayed train services here.
Scottish Liberal Democrats are calling for:
- All peak rail fares to be scrapped for young people
- The railcard discount to be increased to 50% for everyone under 30
- The reversal of the SNP/Green rail fares hike
- Ticketing options to reflect new models of hybrid working with the option for two/three-day a week season tickets
- •The government to look at new routes such as Alloa to Dunfermline, Grangemouth, St Andrews, Borders railway to Carlisle, Peterhead, Edinburgh’s Abbeyhill Loop and South Suburban and other lines where local people have lobbied ministers.
Freedom of information requests submitted by Scottish Liberal Democrats to ScotRail revealed that the total amount paid to private taxi and hire vehicle services for replacing a cancelled rail service from 1st April 2022 to 4th February 2023 was £205,854.41.
In this time, the single most expensive journey was a fare of £798.30 from Wick to Inverness calling at all stops in between by an 8-seater taxi. The service also highlighted a journey from Inverness Station to Forsinard Via Wick then Thurso. The cost of this was £549.94.