Bringing back eye-watering peak rail fares in June is “an act of short-sighted, irresponsible folly”, trade unions have warned.

Commuters have benefited from a pilot scheme, launched in October, which scrapped peak fares on ScotRail services and will run until June 28.

But peak-time tickets – roughly double the cost of normal fares – are set to return after this date, hammering commuters in the wallet.

Trade unions and campaigners warned it would amount to a rail costs double whammy “tax on workers” – after regular fares were already hiked by an inflation-busting 8.7 per cent by nationalised ScotRail in April, the biggest jump in the UK.

If the rise was applied to restored peak fares, based on previous costs, it would mean a peak-time return from Glasgow to Edinburgh rocketing to an estimated £31.40 – up from £16.20 currently.

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