SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE CONSULTATION PAPER ON THE SCOTLAND-WIDE FREE BUS TRAVEL FOR OLDER AND DISABLED PEOPLE 2005

Friends of the Far North Line (FoFNL) was formed in 1994 to support the railway line from Inverness to Wick and now has 190 members.

FoFNL supports the Scottish Executive's policy to encourage travellers to use public transport rather than private cars. We support the underlying sustainable objectives to reduce traffic on overcrowded roads and to help conserve the world's finite fuel resources and reduce the amount of pollution caused by the use of fuel.

In general, we would argue that where there is a rail alternative, particularly for long distances, that use of the train should be preferred to the bus. We are concerned that free use of buses may abstract noticeable revenue from the railways. We understand that the reason this scheme has not been extended to trains is due to a shortage of railway passenger rolling stock and a consequent fear of overcrowding.

We would urge that the Scottish Executive should take early steps to obtain sufficient new rolling stock for the free travel scheme to be extended to trains on a Scotland-wide basis also. These new trains should be of a particularly high standard of comfort and facilities to be attractive to passengers especially on the longer journeys such as Wick to Inverness.

As an interim measure, we would urge that the scheme should be immediately extended to those trains where the likelihood of overcrowding is limited. We would like to suggest that this should apply to the lines north of Inverness. The introduction of the extra Invernet trains on 12 December 2005 should go a long way to reduce any fear of overcrowding. At present half price fares are available to local residents on production of a Highland Railcard. We are suggesting that passengers producing both a senior or disabled card and a Highland Railcard should be allowed to travel free with First ScotRail being paid the same rate as bus operators, namely 73.6% of the average adult single fare.

This would allay our concerns that significant fares revenue will otherwise be abstracted from the Far North (and Kyle) lines by the proposed free bus scheme. These lines need all the revenue they can get, and because the bus is generally quicker than the train, revenue loss is a very real threat. There is a significant number of passengers who prefer a train to a bus over long distances, but there is bound also to be a significant number who will be swayed by price. Our suggestion would restore a fair choice between each mode of transport. We hope you will agree.