The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
MSP queries procedure on free rail travel sweetener
Politics: Dispute over special fund
A row over funding for free travel for rail passengers has reignited after an MSP questioned if correct procedure was followed.
Monthly and weekly ScotRail season ticket holders are being given a free week of travel as a thankyou after disruption on the network, with £1.8million of the £3million scheme coming from the Service Quality Incentive Regime (Squire) railway improvement fund. Former ScotRail head Phil Verster told MSPsdaysbefore he left his role in January that contractually, the decision about where to invest such funds “sits with Abellio ScotRail” and he “couldn’t vouch” for the scheme going forward.
Transport Minister Humza Yousaf previously told Holyrood’s rural economy and connectivity committee that “contractually it is up to Scottish ministers” how the money is spent, following discussion with the franchisee Abellio ScotRail. He stood by his position at the same committee yesterday after Liberal Democrat MSPMike Rumbles said the evidence was “contradictory” and called forMrVerster toberecalled to the committee, saying the contract set out that Abellio controls the fund.
Mr Yousaf said he sawno contradiction between his evidence and Mr Verster’s, and he said the franchisee can propose use of the fund but the “ultimate decision about how Squire money is spent does lie with Scottish ministers”. He said that after Labour’s proposal for a fare freeze was found to be too expensive, Transport Scotland and Abellio ScotRail worked together on other plans.
Committee convener Edward Mountain said the contractual process was that the franchisee could propose an idea for the fundandScottish ministers “could not unreasonably withhold consent” for it, and if they did withhold consent they could put forward another plan.
He said: “There is a clear procedural way of dealing with how to use the Squire fund and it doesn’t appear to me on the outset that that has been followed.
“What would help me understand it has been followed is the franchisee has come up with an idea that the authority has rejected, then the authority puts forward its own idea to discuss it on the basis that it’s better than the franchisee’s idea, but no idea has come from the franchisee, it’s just from the authority.”
MrYousaf said: “It’s done in a collaborative manner.
“We decided that we weren’t able to go forward with the proposal of a fare freeze because of the cumulative cost, the instruction was to work collaboratively with Abellio to see what could be done to benefit passengers because of their patience during what was a fairly disruptive year.”
Monthly and annual season ticket holders will gain a free week of travel, with free off-peak return trips anywhere in Scotland for those who switch to smart ticketing.
Weekly season ticket holders on Smartcard will also benefit from a complimentary oneday return ticket, with an offer for leisure passengers to be announced later in the year.