CalMac (zero experience of trains) want to run ScotRail!

THE company responsible for operating most of the West Coast’s ferries is launching a bid to run the nation’s trains – despite having no experience with railways.

State-owned Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) has lodged a note of interest in taking over ScotRail.

The rail franchise’s operator, Dutch-owned Abellio, is having its contract ended early after criticism of delays and cancellations.

CalMac is the first company to formally express an interest in taking over the ScotRail contract, which involves running most of Scotland’s train services.

Meanwhile, the SNP Government is considering ways to scrap the franchising process in favour of renationalising the railways.

A source close to the Scottish Government said: ‘We would expect interest from other companies more experienced in running rail services, but the first note of interest has been lodged by CalMac.’

The insider said the Government is looking to do something ‘fundamentally different’ by creating a single body to operate both the rail network and the train services.

CalMac is a subsidiary of David MacBrayne Ltd, which operates independently but is wholly owned by the Scottish Government.

The firm, which has no experience of running trains, is in a legal battle with the Government over services to the Northern Isles.

It has faced complaints that those ferry routes are dogged by an ageing fleet, insufficient capacity and inadequate infrastructure, causing problems for passengers.

Last night, Scottish Tory transport spokesman Jamie Greene said: ‘The very idea that David MacBrayne might take over Scotland’s railways is not just risible but outright bonkers given its track record of running our ferry network.

‘This publicly owned company already has one subsidiary suing the Scottish Government over a mishandled ferry franchise and another which bungled the building of two new much-needed ferries to service our islands.’

Abellio was meant to run ScotRail until 2025, but Transport Secretary Michael Matheson said last week that the contract was being cut short and would terminate in 2022. Under the current franchising system, private or public firms will be invited to tender to take over the contract from that date.

But Ministers are preparing to make a radical case for a direct move to full nationalisation of the rail system. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon set a marker a year ago, citing poor performance and a lack of investment in rail services to make the case for nationalisation.

Mr Matheson has spent the past 12 months preparing to argue for a single body to run Scotland’s rail network and passenger services.

The Scottish Government believes the forthcoming Rail Review by Royal Mail chairman Keith Williams, set up last year to examine the future of the UK rail system, will favour Scotland taking control of its share of the rail network and managing all its own rail services.

Such a recommendation, if backed by Westminster, would allow a single body set up by the Scottish Government to take over every aspect of a nationalised train system – including the maintenance of the tracks and stations, procuring trains and organising timetables.

Yesterday, a Government source said plans were being developed for nationalisation. The insider added: ‘At the moment, Network Rail owns, manages and maintains all the UK railway lines and most of the stations, but its responsibility would stop at the Border and Network Rail Scotland would effectively be formed, with Scottish Ministers taking responsibility.

‘That would be merged with what is currently the ScotRail franchise, so a single body run by a single board would be responsible for all of Scotland’s railway services.

‘The current system of franchising for the provision of rail services is not sustainable as there is no profit in running railways.’

But Mr Greene said: ‘Having publicly admitted they know nothing about railways or how to run them, it seems astonishing that David MacBrayne should be herded by the SNP into a politically motivated faux interest in running our trains.

‘If the SNP wants to nationalise, taxpayers deserve to know exactly how much it will actually cost.’

Last night, CalMac said it was ‘too early’ to speculate about taking over the ScotRail franchise.

‘Outright bonkers given firm’s track record’