New ScotRail is on track for disaster
The Scottish Government’s muchvaunted ScotRail nationalisation is turning into an unmitigated disaster.
Within weeks, hundreds of services have been cancelled and a drivers’ pay dispute has wiped thousands of journeys from timetables indefinitely.
If the deadlock is not broken, there will be no late-night services between Glasgow and the Edinburgh Festival, delivering a massive cultural and economic blow to both cities this summer.
This is despite a mind-boggling £1.4billion being sunk into the network last year alone to keep things moving during the pandemic.
To add insult to injury, the Sunday Mail has today revealed that Abellio – the Dutch state- owned company which has been cashing in on passenger misery for the last seven years – is continuing to milk the ScotRail franchise behind the scenes.
Four contracts have been signed for an undisclosed sum, but certain to be millions of pounds, to supply replacement transport, customer service, payroll and other services.
The whole point of nationalisation was to eliminate prof iteering – especially by a company owned by a foreign government.
But instead the Abellio gravy train has continued while those who rely on the train to commute are in an even worse position.
If Nicola Sturgeon’s ScotRail woes were an isolated case of ministerial bungling, it could be forgiven.
Unfortunately, we all know that is far from the truth.
The ferries fiasco, BiFab, Prestwick Airport, botched hospital building contracts – the list of black holes into which unbelievable amounts of public money has been poured is endless.
What is even worse is the culture of secrecy around these failings.
Despite being asked repeatedly, ministers have refused to say how much the senior ScotRail executives they appointed are being paid or how much the Abellio contracts are worth.
It would be unfair to say all taxpayers are getting a raw deal from the Scottish Government – millions are benefiting handsomely. Unfortunately, you need to go to Amsterdam to find them.