Project’s woes may slow arrival of better trains

Plans for a fleet of refurbished high-speed trains across Scotland are in doubt due to rail chaos in England, it has emerged.

Passengers from Edinburgh and Glasgow to Stirling, Perth, Dundee, Aberdeen and Inverness have been promised ageing slam-door carriages will be replaced.

The winner of the ScotRail franchise – Dutch group Abellio – pledged faster journeys, better buffet services, Wi-Fi, extra toilets, luggage space and many more first-class seats.

But the 2018 upgrade depends on the release of 27 InterCity 125s from their current routes on the Great Western line between London and South Wales, and that depends on completion of the troubled £2.8bn project to electrify the line – a scheme running behind schedule and massively over budget.

The Department for Transport said it is “highly likely” the timetable to electrify to Bristol by 2016, to Cardiff by 2017 and to Swansea by 2018 will be missed.

Now, Labour has uncovered small print in the franchise agreement which states the 125s will only be released when new trains can be brought in on the Great Western line.

New electric trains are being built to run from London to South Wales under the £3bn Intercity Express Programme (IEP) but they can only run on an electrified line.

Lilian Greenwood, shadow transport secretary, said the Great Western agreement stated the transfer of the Intercity 125 trains to Scotland is “subject to the IEP stock delivery”.

But rail minister Claire Perry refused to confirm the lease agreement will keep the Intercity 125s running on the Great Western until they can be replaced.