The Greens are calling for the Scottish Government to remove first-class ticketing on commuter services following research last year that showed only 2% of seats allocated were being used.
Mark Ruskell, the party’s transport spokesperson, said first class travel is a “dated idea” which is leaving commuters having to squeeze onto busy trains.
He said: “Our railways are for all of us, but we’ve all had the experience of having to stand in a packed carriage when the first-class one is completely empty.
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“Anyone who has got on a busy commuter train from Glasgow to Edinburgh during the festivals in August knows how uncomfortable this can be, especially in the heat which can lead to people becoming unwell.
“If 98% of first-class seats are not even being used then what is the point in them?”
The call will be made as part of a Scottish Government debate on Twenty Years of Scotland’s Railway Providing a Strong Platform for the Future, which takes place later today in the Holyrood chamber.
Ruskell has put in an amendment calling for the further expansion of new rail stations and removal of first-class ticketing on commuter services.
Peak fares were abolished on Scotland’s railway last week with the price of a return ticket between Glasgow and Edinburgh dropping from £32.60 during peak times to £16.80.
First Minister John Swinney said the change would help those struggling with the soaring cost of living.
The Scottish Government announced the move earlier this year after previously refusing to do so following a year-long pilot, citing a lack of uptake.
Ruskell said having first-class carriages makes little sense following the abolition of peak fares.
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He said: “It makes no sense to divide up our trains that way, especially when we are scrapping peak fares and trying to get more people on to them.
“Rail should be about the need to travel rather than the ability to pay for what are often very expensive tickets.
“First-class rail is a dated idea. It is at odds with a ScotRail that is run for everyone and it means less seats and busier carriages for the rest of us.”
