TRADE unions and environmental campaigners have joined forces to demand peak fares never return to Scotland’s railways.

The Scottish SNP government announced in August that it would reintroduce peak fares, stating pilot scrapping them only delivered a 6.8 per cent passenger boost, short of the 10 per cent it claimed was required to make it “self-financing.”

The move sparked fury among trade unions which, now coupled with environmental groups, have written to Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslopp demanding a U-turn. 

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “The Scottish government’s rail budget for this year was already cut by 10 per cent while the roads budget increased by 25 per cent, and now its decision to reintroduce peak fares is a clear indication that public transport is not being prioritised in Scotland.”

Calling for the trial to continue, TSSA general secretary Maryam Eslamdoust said: “Significant modal shift from cars to trains is needed for the Scottish government to achieve their remaining target of net zero by 2045.

“Cancelling the trial suggests that they are not truly committed to that target.”

Branding peak fares a “tax on workers,” Aslef Scotland organiser Kevin Lindsay said: “How on Earth can Scotland meet our climate targets if it makes rail travel, the most environmentally sustainable way to travel, unaffordable for huge swathes of the Scottish population?”

Unite’s Pat McIlvogue called it a “reckless move which will backfire on ScotRail and the government.”

STUC deputy general secretary Dave Moxham warned: “The Scottish government is running a real risk of derailing progress in supporting workers and our climate.

“They must see sense and extend the pilot before it’s too late.”

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