Caledonian Sleeper chief quits in fresh blow
● Ryan Flaherty to move to new role within Serco ‘for family reasons’
The troubled Caledonian Sleeper service has been dealt a further blow with its boss stepping down for family reasons.
Managing director Ryan Flaherty oversaw the introduction of its fault-prone new fleet after taking over nearly two years ago.
Operator Serco insisted the move was unrelated to the service’s problems, which led to passenger complaints trebling last summer.
Mr Flaherty will move to the defence division of the company in the south west of England to be closer to his family who live there.
Serco said he would remain in his current role until a successor is found.
Mr Flaherty has been with Serco for six years, and was the Sleeper’s guest experience director for two years until being promoted in March 2018.
He succeeded Keith Wallace, who was managing director for less than a year.
The company praised him for making the Caledonian
Sleeper “well positioned” for growth following the introduction of a new fleet of trains.
John Whitehurst, Serco’s managing director for transport, said: “Ryan has led Serco Caledonian Sleeper during a transformational period. Under his leadership, the business is well positioned for growth having successfully introduced a £150 million fleet of new trains.
“We’re extremely pleased he will remain with Serco in a new role, having taken the decision to return to the south of England for family reasons.
“The recruitment process for his successor as managing director of Serco Caledonian
Sleeper will begin shortly, with Ryan remaining in post until there is a managed transition.”
The new trains on the service have had a tough start to life with a catalogue faults causing delays and disruption for customers.
Transport secretary Michael Matheson told MSPS on Tuesday the remaining faults on the new trains would take manufacturercafanothertwo months to fix.
They have included a contractor for Caf severely damaging water pipes by using the wrong chemicals, which affected showers and toilets.
Software glitches have locked out rooms and toilets.
There have been staff shortages and strikes, and a runaway train ran through Edinburgh without stopping.
However, Mr Matheson also told MSPS that advance bookings had reached record levels this month, with the highest ever daily sales being achieved on Monday.
He said passenger journeys had increased by 20.8 per cent since last October, when the fleet was fully introduced.