The Scottish Government has refused to rule out scrapping peak rail fares amid a growing cost of living crisis.
Transport minister Jenny Gilruth said she backed a "simplification" of ScotRail tickets as a way of encouraging more people to take the train.
Passengers travelling before 9.30am on weekdays still pay steeper fares - despite the numbers using trains having dropped dramatically during covid lockdowns and the rise in homeworking.
ASLEF, the union representing train drivers, has led calls for the premium to be axed.
Kevin Lindsay, the union’s Scottish Regional Secretary, said: "As a priority we want her Government to support investment in the people who keep our rail services going, removing peak fares premium, extending concessions to bus travel to rail and speeding up plans for the removal of the 50-year-old HST fleet.”
An answer to a parliamentary question by Labour MSP Monica Lennon has raised hopes abolition is under consideration.
Asked if the Government would commit to abolishing peak fares, Gilruth said: "The Scottish Government is clearly aware that any [inflation] RPI linked fares rise would hit hard-pressed passengers in the pocket at a time when the cost of living crisis is at its height, and potentially turn them away from rail at a time when we should be encouraging them back.
"The Scottish government supports calls for simplification of the current rail fares system and we will be exploring what we might be able to do with the powers the Scottish Government has to make fares easier for all, including through the Fair Fares Review.”
Lennon said: “Peak-time train fares are an unfair tax on workers that should be scrapped by the Scottish Government.
“Making rail travel more affordable is an urgent action that Scottish Government could take to help people struggling with the cost-of-living crisis and meet our legal obligations on climate change.
“It is encouraging that SNP ministers are listening to campaigners and trade unions because a temporary rail fare freeze, whilst welcome, is not enough.
“As ScotRail is now in public ownership, we can prioritise investments that benefit people using the trains rather than private profit.”
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