Sturgeon’s showdown with train bosses
Nicola Sturgeon calls crunch talks over flagship project Government frustrated with lack of progress
Nicola Sturgeon told train bosses to get their act together at crunch talks after yet another delay to the introduction of electric services on the flagship Edinburgh to Glasgow line.
The First Minister called a summit with Hitachi, which is building 70 electric trains for ScotRail, after the Japanese firm was hit with production problems.
A full electric train service is now unlikely to run on the Glasgow to Edinburgh route until May next year.
Ms Sturgeon held talks earlier this month with Karen Boswell, managing director of Hitachi Rail Europe, and Alistair Dormer the global chief executive of the rail firm.
It is understood the First Minister stressed that further delays would be unacceptable.
Yesterday, the Scottish Government said the meeting was positive adding: “The First Minister impressed upon Hitachi the ongoing Scottish Government commitment to building the best railway Scotland has ever had, and the importance of introducing the new fleet to the ScotRail franchise and Scottish economy as soon as possible.”
Hitachi argued that delays to the building and testing of the newly electrified route has also significantly contributed to delays on the overbudget £795 million scheme.
A senior railway industry source said: “ScotRail won’t have enough new trains to run a fully electric Edinburgh to Glasgow service until the timetable change next May.
“Talk about line testing is a smokescreen for Hitachi’s production problems.
“Hitachi has told ScotRail they will only have half the units required by December.”
The fleet of Hitachi Class 385 trains, which is to cost £370m, was meant to be up and running a full timetable this autumn. This was then put back until December and is now going into next year. Before the Class 385 trains run, ScotRail plans to operate electric trains borrowed from other lines between Edinburgh and Glasgow.
However, this plan has also been delayed at least four times.
Scottish Labour transport spokesperson Neil Bibby said: “The SNP government must come forward with an apology and provide answers as to why passengers have been let down yet again.”
ScotRail previously pledged that all Edinburgh to Glasgow journeys will be operated by the new trains from December.
Asked when a full electric service will operate on the line, a spokesman said: “Only when we are confident there will be no negative impact on our performance, service, and customer satisfaction will the trains run.”
The Sunday Post put the detail of the production problems to the firm and the spokesman added: “There’s nothing in our current production programme that we believe prevents us from entering the trains into passenger service, and we’re confident the trains will continue to perform well when they commence and complete full testing.”
Hitachi was left embarrassed last week when the first of a fleet of new trains it built for the Great Western Railway service was hit by delays and a faulty air conditioning.
Hitachi Rail said: “The first wave of new trains will be introduced into passenger service after we’ve been granted access to the newly electrified network.
“We’re confident our trains are safe and reliable.” First Minister’s showdown with rail bosses after £795m project is delayed yet again