Labour vows to end peak-time rail fares ‘for good’ if it wins Holyrood election

Labour will permanently scrap peak fares for travellers on Scotland’s railways if it wins next year’s Holyrood election, the party has announced.

In the latest of a series of policy pledges made in the run-up to this weekend’s Scottish Labour conference, it vowed to cut the cost of travelling by train for commuters.

It comes as the party seeks to combat falling popularity in opinion polls by highlighting how it could form an alternative government to the SNP, which has been in power for more than 17 years in Scotland.

Labour transport spokeswoman Claire Baker promised her party will “end the era of rip-off rail fares and scrap peak-time fares for good”, if it wins the May 2026 Scottish Parliament election.

The Scottish Government previously scrapped peak-time fares for a year-long pilot project which aimed to boost passenger numbers on ScotRail.

But ministers announced last year the pilot was being ended, saying the scheme – which had cost about £40 million – had only sparked a “limited increase in the number of passengers”.

Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop said in August the Government “would be open to consider future subsidy to remove peak fares should UK budget allocations to the Scottish Government improve in future years”.

Ms Baker said the decision to restore peak fares was both “environmentally and economically illiterate”.

The ending of the pilot hiked rail fares for travellers, with Labour noting the price of a return ticket between Glasgow Queen Street and Edinburgh Waverley now costs £31.40 – and it will rise to £32.60 when a further increase comes in in April.

Ms Baker said: “We need to end the spiral of decline on ScotRail services and get more people on trains – and that means making rail affordable.

“A Scottish Labour government would end the era of rip-off rail fares and scrap peak-time fares for good.

“This will help us to connect communities, strengthen our economy and meet our climate goals.

“It’s time to take rail in a new direction and deliver the affordable, reliable service Scots deserve.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Any initiative to reduce fares must be balanced against the increase in public subsidy required.

“Ministers have already stated many times that the peak fares pilot did not increase the shift from car to rail in sufficient numbers. This mirrors the results of Transport for London’s similar trial which also saw no significant increase in travel as a result of lower fares.

“Scottish ministers have said they would consider further initiatives on peak fares if the settlement from the UK Government was increased.

“In the meantime, we are keeping fares increases as low as possible, lower than elsewhere in the UK, while providing a 20% discount on season tickets until September 2025 and permanent extra benefits on flexipasses.

“Passenger numbers have continued to grow since the end of the peak fares trial.”