ScotRail operator to lose contract
THE franchise to run Scotland’s trains is to be ended early, the Transport Minister has announced.
Abellio, the Dutch firm which holds the ScotRail franchise, will no longer run the train service after 2022, despite the contract bing due to end in 2025. A break clause means it can be ended early.
There has been regular criticism of delays, cancellations and overcrowding on trains.
Allowing it to continue beyond 2022 or “rebasing” will not be approved, and a new franchisee will be found to run the country’s train network.
Michael Matheson, Transport Secretary, said he could not justify additional subsidy beyond 2022 for Abellio.
He said: “Our rail network is of significant social, economic and environmental value to the people of Scotland, and ministers must ensure that the services we secure are high performing, financially sustainable and offer value for money.
“We currently provide around two thirds of the running costs for our railway and it is essential that this is sustainable going forward. Our record investment in rail is already delivering more seats, more trains and more stations.
“Any changes to the level of subsidy paid by the Government must deliver new benefits for passengers and taxpayers and whilst there have been improvements in recent years, the proposed changes were not sufficient to justify additional subsidy.”
The firm said it provided value for money.
Dominic Booth, managing director of Abellio UK, said: “Abellio has invested more than £475 million in new and upgraded trains, added 23% more seats for customers and created more than 500 extra jobs in Scotland since the start of the franchise in 2015, the biggest investment in trains and stations in over 150 years.
“Our offer to Transport Scotland would have delivered an improved service for our customers at a reduced cost to the taxpayer.”
Labour said the franchise must be in public hands while the Conservatives blamed the SNP for an “absolute failure”.
Colin Smyth, Labour’s transport spokesman, said: “We are glad that the SNP have finally swallowed their pride and listened to what Scottish Labour have been calling for.
“Nothing less than a publicly owned rail system will do to ensure that the people of Scotland can have the cheap, efficient and reliable public transport they deserve.”
Tory transport spokesman, Jamie Greene, said: “The SNP has been in charge of railways for more than 12 years.
“Having to terminate a contract it awarded is an admission of absolute failure.
“These have been wasted years for Scotland’s train services, and now we have the risk of the quality of services nosediving even further.
“The SNP have pulled the rug from under the feet of the franchise holder, have no clue who will be running our railway post-2022 and have many questions to answer over the future of Scotland’s rail.”