Labour has launched a petition calling on ScotRail to reverse its decision to scrap the popular Kids Go Free scheme.

Bosses at the franchise confirmed on Monday that the scheme which allows two children to travel for free with an adult will be ended as part of a rip-off rail fare rise from January.

Each child will be charged £1 from next year, meaning an adult who travels once a week with two children will be more than £100 worse off after the scheme is cancelled.

The move comes just weeks after the SNP teamed up with the Tories to block Labour’s plans to take ScotRail into public ownership.

Scottish Labour’s Transport Spokesperson, Colin Smyth MSP, said:

“The Kids Go Free scheme is a fantastic initiative which encourages families to use public transport and not be out of pocket for doing so.

“With a rip-off fare rise on the way in January coupled with charging children over the age of five, there is a real chance that many people could be priced out of using our railways by their continued privatisation.

“That is why Labour has launched a petition calling on bosses at ScotRail to save the scheme and keep our railways accessible to families across Scotland.

“The performance of our railways has plummeted on the SNP’s watch, and now passengers are being forced to pay even more to fund this failing franchise.

“It’s high time our railways were brought into public ownership so we have a transport system that works for the many, not the few.”