Scottish Ministers have been told to “hand back the keys” to their Government cars while the ScotRail train chaos continues to affect passengers.
Anas Sarwar, the Scottish Labour leader, contrasted the chauffeur driven cars used by top SNP and Green politicians with commuters having to pay for taxis due to reduced services.
The train operator, which was nationalised in April, introduced a scaled back timetable on Monday amid a pay dispute with train drivers union Aslef.
The row has led to drivers refusing to work overtime and on rest days, with ScotRail cutting more than 700 services across the country.
Drivers rejected an offer of a 2.2% increase, with the option for a revenue share agreement which would take the total package to 5%.
The temporary timetable has caused disruption to passengers across Scotland, with the service ending earlier in the evening.
At Holyrood, Sarwar raised the case of a worker in Dumbarton who takes rail to and from work, but struggles to get home as the final train is hours before her shift ending.
He said: “In the middle of a cost of living crisis, she has to spend £20 on a taxi. That means she has to work two hours just to pay to get home. That's the reality for 1000s of people across the country.”
He also revealed there are no replacement bus services in place for passengers affected by the upheaval.
Deputy First Minister John Swinney, standing in for Nicola Sturgeon who is recovering from covid, said:
“We are in a period of difficulty just know because drivers are exercising their voluntary right not to undertake rest day working.
“We are trying to resolve those issues by the negotiation that is taking place. And we've put in place through ScotRail an amended timetable which gives more certainty about the availability of services rather than last minute cancellations.”
Sarwar continued: “This SNP/Green Government are leaving people stranded with no public transport and asking them to use gas guzzling vehicles instead.
“While this Deputy First Minister and his colleagues have 28 chauffeur driven cars, costing over £1m to get them to and from their work, this SNP/Green Government is cutting 1000 rail services a day, offering no replacement bus services and forcing people to work hours just to pay for a taxi home.
“Shouldn't he and every other Minister hand back the keys to the ministerial chauffeur cars until they get this sorted and get Scotland moving again?”
Swinney responded: “What this government is doing is providing practical help to people with the cost of living.
"So for example, the Scottish Government has doubled the child payment in Scotland to £20 per week. It'll go up to £25 per week and none of that support is available in any other part of the United Kingdom, including in Labour-run Wales.”
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