SNP must get a grip on railway shambles

RAIL passengers endured the first day of a massively reduced service yesterday – but the crisis could drag on for months.

As we report today, talks between ScotRail and the train drivers’ union Aslef stalled three weeks ago.

The last formal talks, on May 4, lasted for a matter of minutes – and resulted in the stalemate that has brought the rail system to its knees.

Formal negotiations are to resume on Thursday – by which time many more disillusioned ScotRail customers will have switched to cars or buses.

In reality, the unions are playing a cynical game, ordering their members to shun overtime amid a shortage of drivers.

They see the SNP and its Left-wing partners the Scottish Greens as a soft touch, unlikely to stand up to their demands for more pay.

It’s a toxic cocktail – an incompetent administration that is woefully out of its depth, and rapacious union bosses determined to wreak havoc.

The SNP Government, through Transport Scotland, gave the ScotRail contract to Dutch company Abellio, and it was a disaster.

Now that the Nationalists are in direct control, disruption is so widespread that ScotRail has been forced to plead with passengers to make their own travel arrangements.

Near-empty railway stations yesterday were a stark illustration of the immense damage wrought by the SNP, only seven weeks after nationalisation.

The truth is that customers don’t care who’s in charge – as long as there’s an efficient, clean, affordable and safe rail service.

There can be no more excuses, the SNP must put an end to this shambles now before the cost to the economy becomes unbearable.