The
RMT


is
urging
the
new
Scottish
First
Minister
Humza
Yousaf
to
keep
his
promise
that
ScotRail
stays
in
public
ownership.

The
private
sector
contract
to
run
ScotRail
had
been
held
by
Abellio,
and
it
was
terminated
a
year
ago
when
the
Scottish
Government
exercised
a
break
point
in
the
contract,
which
could
have
lasted
until
March
2027.

During
his
successful
election
campaign
Mr
Yousaf
had
said:
‘Bringing
ScotRail
and
Sleeper
Services
into
public
hands
was
as
much
about
energy
as
it
is
about
building
a
safe,
reliable,
and
accessible
public
transport
system
then.
It
is
the
belief
of
the
SNP
that
a
successful
just
transition
relies,
in
part,
on
the
public
ownership
of
our
rail.
For
that
reason
alone,
I
will
commit
categorically
to
keep
Scotrail
and
Sleeper
Services
in
public
ownership.’

The
Caledonian
Sleeper
contract
held
by
Serco
is
due
to
end
on
25
June.

The
RMT
is
also
calling
on
the
First
Minister
to
increase
services
to
pre-pandemic
levels,
investing
in
infrastructure
and
ending
any
cuts
to
jobs.

The
union’s
general
secretary
Mick
Lynch
said:
‘The
certainty
provided
by
the
new
First
Minister
that
ScotRail
and
Caledonian
Sleeper
will
remain
in
public
ownership
is
very
welcome
and
means
all
revenue
can
be
reinvested
in
improving
Scotland’s
railway.

‘The
First
Minister
must
also
improve
rail
access
and
connectivity
by
increasing
funding
for
infrastructure
by
reversing
cuts
to
ScotRail
services.

‘We
are
also
keen
that
he
will
act
swiftly
on
Transport
Scotland’s
report
on
improving
safety
of
women
and
girls
on
public
transport
by
ensuring
adequate
staffing
levels
and
no
closure
of
ticket
offices
on
Scotland’s
railway
stations.’