PEAK fares on Scotland’s railways are an “unfair tax” on workers and must be ditched, say transport unions and climate activists.

The Scottish government began a pilot scheme last year to test the removal of peak fares on ScotRail, but demands to make it permanent are growing ahead of the planned end of the scheme in June.

A joint letter from rail unions, Aslef, RMT, TSSA and Unite, Friends of the Earth Scotland, the Just Transition Partnership, Stop Climate Chaos Scotland and Transform Scotland and the STUC has demanded SNP transport secretary Fiona Hyslop scrap peak fares once and for all.

The letter says: “As trade unionists, environmental campaigners and passenger champions, we are clear that peak train fares must be scrapped permanently.

“This is a position that we have taken since the start of the pilot.

“The overall approach by the government must be to make fares as affordable as possible.

“This is what will encourage and incentivise the Scottish travelling public on to trains and away from private car travel.

“If you were to restore peak fares it would be a retrograde step that would send exactly the wrong message at the wrong time.

“We urge you to do the right thing, scrap peak fares permanently to help Scotland meet its climate targets, grow the economy sustainably and help workers by ending this unfair tax on them.”

A Transport Scotland spokeswoman said: “The Scottish government will carefully consider the impact of the pilot and the long-term sustainability of such a proposition before committing to any further measures after June 2024.

“This trial is an exciting and unique opportunity to encourage more people to leave their cars at home and choose a safe, reliable and green form of public transport.”