29 November 2011
Benefits for rail trivial compared to massive hand-out to road users
Transform Scotland [1], the sustainable transport alliance, has today (Tuesday 29) attacked the UK Government's Autumn Statement as being little more than a hand-out to road use.
The Treasury's figures show that the cost of the fuel duty cut will cost the UK Government £4.825 billion. [2]
The cut in rail fare increases (back to RPI+1%), by contrast, costs the Treasury a total of £0.345 billion [3] -- while the promise of new sleeper carriages costs £0.050 billion (i.e. £50 million). [4]
Transform Scotland director Colin Howden said:
"Today's announcement represents a massive hand-out to road users.
"The fact is that the Chancellor could for a fraction of the price of the fuel tax hand-out have avoided the public sector pay cap. The savings from public sector pay restraint announced today come to £1.75 billion while the fuel tax give-away costs the Exchequer almost £5 billion.
"It's welcome that rail fares are going to be capped at RPI+1%. This represents a victory for the 'Fair Fares Now' campaign. [5] But, for Scotland, this will only benefit Anglo-Scottish travellers as Scottish rail fares are already capped at RPI+1% under the ScotRail franchise.
"The £50 million promised for new sleeper carriages is of course welcome -- and far more sensible than the suggestion by Transport Scotland, in its ongoing ScotRail consultation, that sleeper services be cut back."
ENDS
Notes to Editors
[1] Transform Scotland is the national sustainable transport alliance, bringing together rail, bus and shipping operators, local authorities, national environment and conservation groups, businesses and local transport groups - see <http://www.transformscotland.org.uk/members.aspx> for details.
[2] See 'Autumn Statement 2011' document, available at <http://cdn.hm-treasury.gov.uk/autumn_statement.pdf>. Table 2.1, Measure 7 ('Fuel duty'), shows that the cost to the Treasury of the fuel duty cuts cumulate to £4.825 billion.
[3] Same Table, Measure 27.
[4] Same report, Table 2.3, Measure 'o'.
[5] See <http://www.bettertransport.org.uk/fairfares/>.
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