Unions back calls for rail service to be made public

Transport unions have backed Scottish Labour’s calls for the ScotRail contract to be brought back into public ownership ahead of today’s vote in Holyrood.

Scottish Labour has tabled a debate urging the Scottish Government to strip Abellio of the contract by 2022, a move which has been supported by the bosses of three transport unions.

More than 74,000 ScotRail trains have been cancelled since Dutch firm Abellio began running the franchise in April 2015, figures Scottish Labour argues reflect a “miserable service”.

The debate on the ScotRail franchise seeks to commit the Scottish Government to not renewing the contract with Abellio, instead bringing train services into public ownership.

But Abellio has warned that any change of franchise would create uncertainty for passengers and staff.

Scottish Labour’s transport spokesperson Colin Smyth said: “The SNP promised a world-leading deal when they handed Abellio the ScotRail franchise but instead passengers have been hit by delays and cancellations, increased rail fares and a loss of confidence in the company and government’s ability to manage our railways.”

Abellio UK managing director Dominic Booth said: “Scotland’s railway needs stability and not the upheaval a change in the franchise would bring about.”

A spokesman for Transport Secretary Michael Matheson said: “Labour’s hypocrisy on this issue is astonishing – they have consistently blocked the right for a public-sector body to bid for a rail franchise.”