Scotland will face ‘international humiliation’ if rail crisis not resolved by summer
Scotland will face international humiliation if a dispute which has crippled rail services is not resolved by the summer, it has been warned.
SNP ministers were told on Tuesday that a series of major events within the coming months, such as the 150th Open Championship in St Andrews in July and the Edinburgh festivals in August, would be thrown into chaos if a normal timetable is not restored.
Up to 700 ScotRail services a day have been axed after some drivers stopped working voluntary overtime amid a row over pay, just weeks after the operator was nationalised by the SNP Government.
A pay offer of a 2.2 per cent rise has been branded completely inadequate by unions amid the cost of living crisis.
Most major services are ending several hours early, which city and town centre businesses have said could cripple them which are still recovering from the pandemic.
The trade group UKHospitality said yesterday that the timetable was harming city centre businesses during the day as well, as workers were deserting offices early.
Willie Rennie, the former Liberal Democrat leader, told Jenny Gilruth, the SNP transport minister, that 300,000 people were visiting St Andrews for the Open Golf tournament and that substantially more trains than normal, rather than less, were needed for a “one-off showcase”.
“This is an utter failure in industrial relations from this Government,” Mr Rennie said. “Does the minister understand the humiliation that will be imposed upon Scotland if she doesn’t get this sorted by then?
“And if she doesn’t sort it by then, what plans does she have to ensure the roads of Fife are not gridlocked with 300,000 people descending on the town?”
At Holyrood on Tuesday, Ms Gilruth was repeatedly challenged over the restricted timetable.
Her relationship with trade unions, which are demanding a pay rise in excess of 10 per cent, appeared on the brink of breaking down after she publicly criticised officials for branding her a liar.
Ms Gilruth said comments from Mick Hogg, the RMT’s Scottish Organiser, were not “particularly respectful” or “accurate”. Mr Hogg had accused Ms Gilruth of “telling lies” by claiming she wanted to see unions and ScotRail negotiate.
He claimed that the minister “holds the key” to a pay settlement and had been disingenuous to suggest she could not have played a more active role in negotiations.
Meanwhile, she appeared unable to advise an NHS nurse, who worked shifts, did not drive or have an alternative bus service, how she should get home from work.
‘Causing misery’
Neil Bibby, the Labour MSP, said the rail crisis was “causing misery” and that his constituent finished her hospital shift at 7.45 pm. However, under the new timetable, her last train home left at 8:04 pm, and she would be unable to get to the station on time
Ms Gilruth said she would raise the matter with ScotRail and wanted to see a resolution to the dispute as soon as possible.
She also said emergency plans were being drawn up in an effort to prevent disruption during Scotland’s World Cup play-off at Hampden Park next week.
Tens of thousands of football fans will descend on the stadium on Wednesday in Glasgow as the national team play one of their most important matches in 20 years against Ukraine.
"ScotRail is aware of the various large cultural and sporting events across the summer and the impact the reduced timetable might have on them,” she said. “It's currently being reflected by ScotRail in terms of how they will address that.”
