Returning Scotland’s train services to normal is “vital”, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said as she urged ScotRail and trade unions to operate “in good faith” to resolve a pay dispute.
ScotRail, which was nationalised last month, announced on Wednesday that it will cut 700 services from Monday in response to a driver shortage caused by a disagreement with the union Aslef which has seen some drivers decline to work overtime or on rest days.
The temporary timetable could be in place for weeks, ScotRail’s service delivery director David Simpson has said.
The May timetable had approximately 2,150 weekday services, but from next week this will be reduced by a third to 1,456.
Simpson told BBC Radio Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland programme on Thursday: “I’d hope temporary means as short as possible but it does depend on making some progress with the pay talks which are the root cause of this problem.
“We’re trying to minimise the impact of this by making the service more predictable to customers and we plan to leave this timetable in place until we make any progress in the pay talks, which would see a resumption of the normal levels of overtime working which are currently necessary to run the full service because of the impact the pandemic had on our driver training programme over the last couple of years.”
Asked whether the timetable could be in place for weeks or potentially months, Simpson said: “I hope it’s less than that, I’m always hopeful we’ll make some progress, I think certainly weeks is potentially possible but we’ll do everything in our power to keep the duration of this as short as possible.”
Facing questions on the matter at Holyrood, Sturgeon stressed the importance of ensuring services return to normal as quickly as possible.
ScotRail, the First Minister said, believes a temporary timetable is “preferable to unplanned cancellations”.
She added: “However - and let me stress this point - it is vital to get the timetable back to normal as quickly as possible and I expect ScotRail to review the temporary arrangements regularly, indeed it is due to be formally reviewed on 3 June.”
The First Minister went on to say it is important for an agreement to be reached as quickly as possible, while ScotRail’s training programme continues to bring new drivers into the workforce to reduce the need for rest day working.
Sturgeon urged Aslef and ScotRail to continue negotiations to reach a settlement. “I would say to the unions, I understand their job to represent their members and to get a fair pay deal for members, but let’s see both parties get round the table and negotiate that in good faith – I think that’s what the travelling public want to see as well.”
Conservative leader Douglas Ross responded: “You call this regrettable, say that to the people in Dunbar who will have zero trains operated by ScotRail stopping at their station.
“Say that to the business leaders who are telling you these cuts are going to put at risk thousands of jobs and small businesses - just seven weeks into nationalisation, it’s already proving a disaster.”
Anas Sarwar said the Scottish Government has “chased the headline” but “won’t do the work” when it comes to ScotRail.
The Scottish Labour leader challenged the First Minister on her reaction to service cuts of 40 trains per day back in 2018, which she said were “not good enough”, adding that since 2020, ScotRail services have seen a decrease of almost 1,000 a day.
Transport Minister Jenny Gilruth was asked about the situation at Holyrood on Wednesday, stating that the temporary timetable was necessary because some drivers “did not take up the option of overtime and rest day working” following the decision by Aslef to ballot for industrial action over pay.
She told MSPs the revised timetable would give a “more stable and reliable service” to passengers.
Kevin Lindsay, Aslef Scotland organiser, said: “This is what happens when you have political interference in industrial relations.
“It's time the Scottish government allowed ScotRail and Aslef to negotiate in a fair and open manner.”
ScotRail has been run by a company owned by the Scottish Government since 1 April. Previous operator Abellio had its franchise ended early amid criticism of the quality of the service.
The Night Time Industries Association said the timetable changes are a “cruel blow” for hospitality businesses.
A spokesman said: “These devastating cuts to rail services will leave commuters rushing to catch early trains home and prevent ordinary people across Scotland from travelling in to our towns and cities during the evenings.
“Such cuts to services, even temporarily, is yet another cruel blow for Scotland’s hard-pressed night-time economy and cultural sector which are yet to recover from the pandemic.
“With these beleaguered industries facing an extremely challenging start to 2022, this news presents considerable concerns both around economic and employment impacts, and of course over the safety of customers and staff travelling home safely at night.”
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