A Dundee-based MSP is to write to Scotland’s Deputy First Minister to demand action on the so-called Tay Tax.
Labour’s Jenny Marra raised the issue of rail fare discrepancies with Transport Minister Keith Brown at the Scottish Parliament yesterday.
It is currently cheaper to buy a single train ticket from Dundee to Perth and another single from Perth to Glasgow than it is to buy a direct ticket from Dundee to Glasgow.
The North-East representative pressed Mr Brown on what progress officials had made in solving the anomaly, what plans he has for Dundee pricing under a new franchise and asked him to extend the regulated zone to include the city.
It follows Ms Marra writing earlier in the year to former infrastructure minister Alex Neil, who replied in August that he had asked officials to look at ways of addressing the issue under the terms of the existing franchise.
At Holyrood, Mr Brown said all anomalies would be removed under the new franchise and blamed Scottish Labour for leaving a legacy of fare problems.
However, Ms Marra said she was not satisfied with the answer and that she would take it further with current Infrastructure Minister and Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.
She said: ”I wanted a confirmation that the officials are making some progress to deal with this issue under this franchise.
”People don’t want to wait until the next franchise to have these fares sorted out.
”I will continue to push the Scottish Government in Parliament until they can provide me with detail of that progress.
”Because the answer from the Transport Minister was not clear, I will be writing to Nicola Sturgeon to press her on this.”
Mr Brown had earlier announced train ticket prices are to be capped to make rail travel attractive and affordable.
An early fares cap has been negotiated with franchise holder First ScotRail, which will see off-peak fares frozen after next year. Peak fares will be capped at the Retail Prices Index measure of inflation in January 2014 and 2015, as long as the annual rate stays below 3.5%.
”I want to ensure that the rail service is an attractive, affordable option,” he said.
He also announced improvements to services in 2014, including additional Sunday trains from Aberdeen to the central belt, improved commuter services to Aberdeen, more frequent trains between Glasgow and Ayr and improved services to Oban.