I’ll sack ScotRail bosses if train chaos continues, warns minister
SCOTRAIL bosses will be stripped of the franchise if they fail to end the chaos on Scotland’s railways, they were warned yesterday.
Transport Secretary Michael Matheson has threatened to take the lucrative contract from Dutch firm Abellio following weeks of cancellations and delays.
He issued a remedial plan notice to the company on Christmas Eve demanding services improve.
This came after weeks of disruption following the decision of ScotRail chiefs to take drivers and conductors off trains to attend vital training sessions for the new fleet of Hitachi Class 385 trains.
ScotRail Alliance managing director Alex Hynes has apologised to passengers and admitted services had been ‘unacceptable’.
He has until the end of next month to improve services or he will be found in breach of the ScotRail contract, meaning the operator could face huge fines or be stripped of the franchise.
Speaking at Holyrood yesterday, Mr Matheson said the decision to issue the notice was necessary after an initial breach of the firm’s franchise agreement was identified on December 21.
He added: ‘I very much regret the poor service that customers have experienced from ScotRail over recent months.
‘There’s absolutely no lack of determination on my part to make sure ScotRail keeps up to the standards we expect, as are set out within the contract.
‘A remedial plan is not something you would issue just on the basis of some individual problems on limited occasions. This is because there has been a series of problems over a period of time that I don’t believe is acceptable.
‘We need to see the detail of their plan to consider it. There will then be a period allowing them to take that forward and make sure it’s delivering the agreed improvements.
‘Should they fail to meet those necessary standards, it could result in them losing the franchise.’
Mr Matheson said that as well as deeming ScotRail’s performance levels to be unacceptable, problems around infrastructure – the responsibility of Network Rail – also proved a significant challenge. He urged opposition parties to back the SNP’s calls to devolve power over the body.
Earlier this week Mr Hynes outlined plans for a new compensation deal following the disruption giving free travel on certain dates to season ticket holders. He warned delays and cancellations are likely to continue for at least another month as drivers and conductors attend training sessions.
Scottish Labour has campaigned for the railways to be renationalised and for the Scottish Government to end the Abellio contract early. Transport spokesman Colin Smyth said: ‘ScotRail’s performance plummeted to a level which breached its franchise agreement.
‘Instead of taking decisive action to demand improvements, the cabinet secretary issued a waiver to ScotRail giving it a licence to continue to fail and, not surprisingly, performance got worse.’
Last night Mr Hynes said: ‘We know the service our customers have received hasn’t been good enough recently.
‘Everybody at the ScotRail Alliance is working flat out to deliver the improvements customers expect and deserve. ScotRail will submit a remedial plan in the timescale outlined.’