Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
TALKING POLITICS Re-nationalising rail is the ultimate aim
We are now in the midst of summer and I hope Advertiser readers are able to take a break from their usual activities and enjoy some free time.
In Airdrie and Coatbridge in particular we are very fortunate to have an abundance of train stations – nine in total – which makes taking trips much easier.
However, an abundance of stations does not always mean an abundance of train services or affordability.
We have all been frustrated over the past year with Scotrail’s failures. How many times have you stood at a platform, only to learn that the next train will be delayed, rescheduled or cancelled – or worse, watching a scheduled train run through the station without stopping?
Recently many people have been let down trying to get to events or being stranded afterwards, with no assistance or information being proffered by Scotrail.
Fares have increased, particularly during peak times, so we should expect a reliable service. As Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard has said: “Getting to work shouldn’t be a gamble, but for too many passengers in Scotland the daily commute means an overcrowded, late-running, overpriced train – if it turns up at all. Some passengers are spending up to 20 per cent of their wages on rail fares.”
Similarly, students make up a large percentage of peak-time travellers and struggle to afford the high fares. While Young Scot cards can help some with discounts, Scotrail refuse to negotiate rates for travel at this time.
Scottish Labour has been out campaigning for better train services and for public ownership of the railways, something I have always fought for.
In the Scottish Parliament, I convene a Rail, Maritime & Transport Union parliamentary group which has worked hard to raise issues and concerns on behalf of the workers and I recently addressed the union’s national AGM.
RMT members include staff working for Scotrail, Network Rail, some bus companies, offshore workers, Cal Mac and other ferries.
Scotrail staff often receive the brunt of frustration and the recent national passenger survey showed much dissatisfaction with our rail services.
More than a third of passengers are unhappy with the lack of availability of staff on trains. There is often nobody to ask for information or for help when travelling, and many of the stations are unstaffed too. This makes travel less safe and very difficult for disabled passengers.
However, where staff are on hand, passengers praise the knowledge and assistance given.
I have, therefore, been fully supporting the RMT’s safer trains campaign which includes “keep the guard”. The importance of a safetycritical member of staff on all trains is paramount, and I also want to see fully-trained guards brought back onto all our local services.
The Scottish Government suggestion of allowing a public-sector rail bid is a step forward (albeit a very slow one), but Scottish Labour’s ultimate aim is to re-nationalise our railways as a service that belongs to us all.