David Torrance: Rise in Fife passengers thanks to peak time fare being scrapped

Squeezed by soaring ticket prices and unreliable services, passengers across Fife were left asking why a fundamental public service felt so out of reach.

When the Scottish Government brought ScotRail back into public ownership, it marked the beginning of a transformation. Public control restored accountability and put passenger needs at the heart of our railways.

However, the real gamechanger arrived when we scrapped peak fares – a UK-first move that made rail travel permanently affordable for everyone, regardless of when they travel.

The numbers don’t lie; in 2022 before public ownership under three million passenger journeys were taken in Fife; last year with peak fare scrapped there were over five million journeys on our publicly owned railway.

This year with 900,000 more journeys across Scotland in June compared to last year, its looking like it will be another bumper year.

Here in Fife, the benefits of these actions are plain to see. The Fife Circle is a vital lifeline connecting our coastal towns to Edinburgh and beyond, and the removal of the "peak-time penalty" has delivered immediate relief during the cost-of-living crisis.

A daily commute from Kirkcaldy to Edinburgh now costs significantly less, keeping hundreds of pounds a year in local pockets while encouraging more people off the roads and onto greener transport. Again, the numbers tell the story with passengers up 50 per cent at both Kirkcaldy and Burntisland and doubled at Kinghorn.

But it’s not just about commuters heading across the Forth each day; the transformation of trains was never about just commuters. That’s why I’m pleased to see Scotrail bring back its Family Pass for the October school holidays.

This will allow up to two adults and four children to travel anywhere in Scotland as often as they want – be that exploring Fife’s coastal villages, heading to the capital or visiting granny in the Kyle of Lochalsh.

Ultimately, a strong railway is about connecting people to opportunities, to family, and to the best that Scotland has to offer.

Whether you are commuting daily from Kirkcaldy or taking the family on a day trip to Burntisland, our publicly owned railway is working hard to keep money in your pocket.

I am proud to see our local stations leading the way in this transport revolution, and I remain committed to ensuring Fife continues to reap the rewards.