THE Scottish government has closed climate change week by reinstating peak fares in Scotland’s railways.

From tomorrow passengers on ScotRail will face huge increases in the cost of travel after a year-long pilot scrapping peak fares comes to an end.

The pilot had generated a 7 per cent increase in passenger numbers.

But announcing it would be scrapped earlier this month, Scottish transport minister Fiona Hyslop claimed this fell short of the 10 per cent boost required to cover the costs of the £40 million scheme.

Workers travelling between Glasgow and Edinburgh now face the cost of a peak return ticket rocketing from £16.20 to £31.40.

Aslef’s Kevin Lindsay branded peak fares “no more than a tax on workers” as he joined comrades in the RMT, Unite and the STUC last week in writing to First Minister John Swinney to demand a U-turn.

Oxfam Scotland’s Jamie Livingstone urged the government to look at taxation to fund the scheme.

He said: “The return of peak rail fares is a short-sighted and damaging climate dead-end that hits commuters and the climate alike.

“While rail passengers are punished, thousands of private jets continue to soar above Scotland, spewing unnecessary pollution, virtually without penalty.

“Scottish ministers must lift their eyes to the skies to find bold but fair solutions – such as a tax on private jets – to fund essential climate action, like green travel, investing in a fairer future for all of us.”

Transport Scotland acknowledged the pilot had saved “passengers hundreds and in some cases thousands of pounds during the cost-of-living crisis.” 

A Transport Scotland spokeswoman said: “The Scottish government would be open to consider future subsidy to remove peak fares should UK budget allocations improve in future years.”