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SPT freezes 2023 subway fares to help ease cost-of-living crisis

Posted: 16 December 2022 | | No comments yet

By pausing the previously agreed increase in subway fares, the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport aims to maintain rising patronage levels, while supporting passengers who are already facing a cost-of-living crisis.

SPT freezes subway fares

Credit: Strathclyde Partnership for Transport

The Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) has announced that it will not increase subway fares in January 2023 as it had originally planned. This is in light of the continuing positive growth in patronage, which has seen passenger numbers return to the subway at more than 90 per cent of pre-pandemic figures.

In addition, SPT’s decision also takes in to account the ongoing cost-of-living crisis that is now affecting many subway users.

At a Partnership meeting held on 16 December 2022, members had approved a report to postpone a previously proposed subway fare increase that was due to be implemented in January 2023. 

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SPT Chair Councillor Stephen Dornan said: “We have decided to pause the previously agreed increase in subway fares to help our passengers who are already facing a cost-of-living crisis and numerous hardships. Despite not receiving any government COVID support this year (2022) and the financial challenges SPT is facing together with the uncertainty while we wait for budgets to be set for next year (2023), we have seen a greater and positive improvement in subway patronage numbers than expected at this point, which is great news. It is appropriate, therefore, that we re-consider the earlier decision regarding a fare increase to reflect where we are now.”

Future subway fare increases will now be considered as part of the 2023/24 revenue budget process.