The Scottish Greens have unveiled plans to introduce a universal green commuter railcard, aiming to make train travel more affordable for all Scots. Under the proposal, the railcard would cost £35 per year and provide a one-third discount on all journeys across Scotland.
Details of the Proposal
The party stated that current rail discounts are typically tied to age or other specific criteria, but this new card would be available to everyone. It would be modelled on the existing Network Railcard in the south-east of England, which encourages regular travellers to choose rail over driving. The Network Railcard saves average holders around £154 annually.
Political Reactions
Scottish Greens co-leader Ross Greer emphasised the need for cheaper rail travel, saying: "Scotland has some of the most expensive trains in Europe. That cost is stopping a lot of regular commuters from choosing rail. That's why the Scottish Greens abolished peak rail fares and it's why we will introduce a green commuter card."
He added: "This card will immediately bring down the cost of catching the train, putting money back in people's pockets and helping them to leave the car at home. It will also cut costs for families and people who simply want to explore Scotland but are put off by the eye-watering costs."
A Scottish Labour transport spokesperson criticised the Greens, stating: "The Greens can't deliver change in this election – they can only help the SNP and deliver more of the same. To deliver change, improve Scotland's railways and make life more affordable, vote Scottish Labour on Thursday."
Kaukab Stewart, the SNP candidate for Glasgow Southside, defended her party's record: "Under the SNP, Scotland is the only part of the UK to have scrapped peak rail fares, saving commuters thousands each year. From April, we went even further by freezing fares on the publicly owned Scotrail network for the next year."
She added: "Because we are fully focused on supporting people with the cost of living, a re-elected SNP government will build on the success of our free bus travel for under-22s and over-60s by rolling out a £2 bus fare cap across Scotland."
Scottish Liberal Democrat transport spokesperson Jamie Greene expressed scepticism: "The SNP and Greens love to promise bucketloads of freebies, with next to no detail on how it will all be funded. It's just not serious. It's also pointless to roll out railcards if people don't have the rail links to be able to use them."
He concluded: "Scots deserve sensible politics that targets money at the people and communities who need it most. That's why Scottish Liberal Democrats will connect more communities to the rail network and open new stations where transport links are poor."
