PLANS are in place to ensure Scotland fans can get to and from Hampden Park for the World Cup qualifier against Ukraine next week amid major cuts to ScotRail services, the transport minister has said.
Jenny Gilruth was questioned in Holyrood on Tuesday about ScotRail's temporary timetable which was launched this week amid a pay dispute between ScotRail bosses and railway unions.
Hundreds of services have been pulled from the tracks as a result, disturbing many people's daily commutes.
And football fans are particularly anxious about how cuts could affect their ability to get back home after Scotland's crucial World Cup play-off match on Wednesday, June 1.
It is one of Scotland's most important matches in the last 20 years with the team having not qualified for a World Cup since 1998, and more than 50,000 fans will head for the national stadium for the crunch qualifier.
But services from Glasgow to Dundee and Aberdeen will already have ended before the crucial World Cup play-off match has even kicked off at 7.45pm and Edinburgh-based members of the Tartan Army will be unable to get home if the game goes to extra time, as the last train from Queen Street to Waverley leaves at 10.15pm.
There are also no services from near the stadium in Mount Florida to Glasgow city centre around the time the game is due to end.
But Gilruth said she has been assured plans are in place to get fans back safely and details will be publicised soon.
She said: "I do understand the concerns of supporters planning to attend the Scotland match. This is, of course, Scotland’s most important game in a long time and we want to ensure supporters get to and from the match on public transport including using bus services.
"I would note the last train from Glasgow to Aberdeen would’ve been at 21:40 before the timetable changes, so this still would not have been late enough to get people back.
"I asked Scotrail for an update on his last Friday and they have assured me plans are in place and they will publicise details of this in due course, and I will be meeting with them tomorrow to discuss this and get updates on the negotiations with Aslef."
About 700 train services a day were axed on Monday, May 23.
The summer 2022 timetable had about 2,150 weekday services but this has now been reduced to 1,456 in the temporary timetable.
Train drivers' union Aslef is balloting members for strike action after rejecting a 2.2% pay offer. The RMT union, which covers other rail workers, has also announced it will hold a strike ballot over pay.
MSP Tess White asked Gilruth if discussions had taken place with sports and events sectors in light of the temporary timetable being introduced.
LibDem MSP Willie Rennie raised concerns about The Open, due to take place in July in St Andrews, while Tory MSP Jeremy Balfour expressed his fears about people pulling out of attending the Edinburgh International Festival because they may not be able to get back home.
Gilruth said she hoped the dispute would be resolved by the summer.
She said: "Discussions with sectors across a range of portfolios including sport and events have been taking place in relation to the impact of ScotRail’s temporary timetable.
"On May 20, culture officials joined the event industry advisory group meeting where I understand the group discussed the impact on the events sector.
"While we want the temporary timetable to be in place for as short a time as possible, engagement is also ongoing with individual events as required. Many attendees will already have plans to make use of bus services.
"Many moons ago as a teen I worked at The Open, and I recognise how important this is to the local economy of St Andrews. Plans are being put in place but The Open is a wee bit away yet and I hope we will be able to get a resolution before then."
