HIGHER fares are on the way under changes to the concessionary travel system which enables older and less mobile people in Helensburgh and Lomond to get cheaper travel on rail, ferry and Subway services.

From April 2022 the current scheme will be replaced with a new system in which all concessionary journeys will be half the standard fare.

At present rail journeys of less than 10 miles are charged at £1 single and £1.50 return for National Entitlement Card holders in the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) area, with journeys of more than 10 miles charged at half the standard fare.

According to Helensburgh councillor Graham Hardie, who sits on the committee which oversees the operation of the Strathclyde Concessionary Travel Scheme (SCTS), the review was driven by the rising cost of the existing system, with an increasing number of people qualifying for the discount.

However, Cllr Hardie says there will be caps applied to all ferry routes – and to journeys wholly within the scheme's 'rural zone'.

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Those would include the Kilcreggan-Gourock ferry service and all railway stations between Oban and Helensburgh – including Ardlui, Arrochar & Tarbet, and Garelochhead.

Ferry journeys are charged at £1 single and £1.50 return for a trip of less than 10 nautical miles, and £2 single and £2.90 return for longer trips.

But from April next year those will rise to a flat fare of £2.50 single and £4 return.

The same caps will apply to journeys between two stations in the 'rural zone'.

Councillor Hardie said: "The review identified particular geographic areas that would be disproportionately impacted by the proposals, namely island and rural communities.

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"That includes many parts of Argyll and Bute, where people often do not have access to alternative transport services or essential services locally.

"Given that these journeys involve longer and more expensive trips, appropriately capped fares have been identified to be the most equitable solution to mitigate against otherwise expensive trips.

"The cap means that from April 2022, maximum concessionary fares for all ferry journeys, and for rail journeys wholly within rural areas, will be capped at £2.50 single and £4 return.

"Rural zone area rail stations include all Argyll and Bute rail stations in the Strathclyde Concessionary Travel Scheme area between Oban and Helensburgh."

Bus services are not affected by the change to the travel scheme, since holders of National Entitlement Cards are already entitled to free travel on most of the country's bus services.

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Councillor Hardie continued: "The introduction of the new fare structure from April 2022 follows a complete, in-depth analysis of the scheme by external consultants and after consultation with stakeholders and scheme users.

"The review was necessary as the scheme was experiencing on-going financial pressures and it was not sustainable in its current format.

"There are several factors behind these, including increases in the older population.

"A 10 per cent increase in the over-60s age group in Strathclyde is expected in the next five years, and a 19 per cent increase by 2029. That represents 55,000 more over-60s in the area by 2026.

"Demand has risen by 12 per cent in the past 10 years, and fare increases mean increased SCTS reimbursement payments to participating operators."

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