Rail passengers are facing huge price hikes after the removal of the peak fares pilot scheme, Finlay Carson MSP has warned.
The Galloway and West Dumfries MSP says commuters travelling between Dumfries and Glasgow will be hammered with an 80 per cent increase.
The cost of a return ticket will now rise from the current price of £24 to £43.20 during peak time.
Passengers travelling from Dumfries to Edinburgh Waverley will see their current ticket price increase from £99 to £124.80 – a 26 per cent rise.
The local constituency MSP blamed the SNP Government over its failure not to promote the scheme while insisting it should have been made permanent for rail commuters.
He said: “These huge price hikes are a hammer blow for hard-pressed passengers.
“The removal of peak fares for those travelling between Dumfries and Glasgow and Edinburgh was the right thing to do and should have been made permanent.
“Instead, passengers are now facing paying significantly more as previous peak fares come back into price.
“This will do nothing to encourage people to ditch their car and use the train for work and comes on top of passengers having to endure a reduced timetable as well right now.
Mr Carson continued: “These price hikes are a world away from the affordable and reliable rail service the SNP promised when they took ScotRail under their control two years ago.
“Passengers are paying a heavy price for the SNP’s failures and the onus is on the transport secretary to fix this chaos out.”
The Scottish Conservative and Unionist MSP revealed he has already been contacted by worried passengers.
One constituent said: “It seems quite excessive to raise the burden for workers who are already struggling during this period of increased costs by hiking ticket prices by 75%.
Another local resident explained: “I feel sorry for other train users and as I am currently witnessing through my son who recently completed university there is really no support for young job seekers in this region and in all likelihood he will have to move away from Dumfries and Galloway to seek a career.
Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop confirmed last week the ending of the peak hours trial despite a slight increase in passenger numbers.
