ABELLIO’S ScotRail journey has come to a halt as ministers strip the Dutch state-owned operator of the Scottish railway franchise.
The 2014 decision to award Abellio the contract for the nation’s railways was met with controversy, with many questioning why Scottish travellers – and the Scots taxpayer, through government subsidies – should boost the Dutch public transport system.
The wheels threatened to come off early when punctuality and reliability figures plummeted, triggering a petition to Transport Scotland in 2016.
Overcrowding and industrial disputes have also marred services and made the ScotRail social media team one of the busiest in the country as commuters make complaints and seek clarity.
Some critics renamed the service “ScotFail”.
Now Transport Secretary Michael Matheson has confirmed that the Abellio ScotRail contract will end early. Abellio will exit the contract in March 2022.
The decision comes after ministers decided not to increase the level of subsidy provided to Abellio, because this would “not secure delivery of commensurate benefits to passengers, communities and the economy”.
Responding to the news, the RMT union, which represents transport workers, tweeted: “We regret to announce that Abellio... has been cancelled”.
Matheson 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.”
The Scottish Government is examining options for what happens next. Matheson said: “This Government has already made clear its position that the current franchising regime, which is a matter reserved to the UK government, has failed and it is widely accepted that the rail industry, as a whole, must embrace reform.
“The best way to deliver this is through the transfer of all rail powers, which would allow us to work together to find the right solution for our railways in future – properly integrated and fully aligned with the public interest and Scottish Government policy.”
LibDem Mike Rumbles called on Matheson not to “repeat the same mistakes” in future franchise deals and Robert Samson, of passenger watchdog Transport Focus said: “It is good to see the government seeking value for money on behalf of passengers, but any change must not result in disruption for them. Passengers will judge the success of any future changes to the structure of the railway on how far it meets their priorities for improvement.”
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