THE Scottish government has been told that a rail fare freeze must be put in place after analysis confirmed commuters face paying up to £200 more for a season ticket.

Concerns have been raised about the impact of the annual increase in peak regulated fares — typically in line with the retail price index — which could mean a 3.8 per cent increase next year. 

Analysis by Scottish Labour found that the costs of travelling on key commuter routes could rise significantly, with those commuting between Dundee and Glasgow seeing their ticket costs rise by £223 to over £6,000. 

Those with season tickets between Scotland’s two largest cities will see their costs go up by £162, while those travelling between Ayr and Glasgow are set to pay £100 more next year. 

Increases normally come into force in January, just months before ScotRail is taken into public hands, with official figures showing that total rail journeys are still down by half compared to pre-pandemic levels. 

Scottish Labour’s Neil Bibby said that taking ScotRail into public hands is meaningless if it is not going to be run in the public interest, calling for a fare review from the government. 

The MSP said: “These rip-off rail hikes are the last thing we need when we are recovering from the pandemic and working towards net-zero [carbon]. 

“We should be pulling out all the stops to get things back on track. Instead passengers are facing the threat of the biggest fare hike in a decade, along with the loss of hundreds of services per day. 

“It’s time to invest in rail and freeze fares, for the good of both passengers and the planet.”

A Transport Scotland spokeswoman said that their track record showed action on fares, which remain cheaper than the rest of Britain, pointing to funding provided to services throughout the pandemic.