The
last
Scottish
sleeper
services


operated
by
the
private
sector
will
run
tonight.

The
Scottish
Government
has
terminated
the
Serco
Caledonian
Sleeper
franchise,
which
began
in
2015.
The
services
between
the
Highlands,
Edinburgh,
Glasgow
and
London
will
be
controlled
in
future
by
a
public
sector
company.

On
5
October
last
year,
Scottish
transport
secretary
Jenny
Gilruth
had
said:
‘Serco
Caledonian
Sleepers
Limited
has
been
advised
that
its
proposal
to
rebase
the
Franchise
Agreement
with
Scottish
Ministers
for
the
provision
of
Caledonian
Sleeper
rail
services
has
been
rejected
on
the
grounds
of
not
representing
value
for
money
to
the
public.

‘A
notice
was
served
today
which
confirms
that
the
Scottish
Ministers
will
terminate
the
Franchise
Agreement
with
Serco
Caledonian
Sleepers
Limited
on
25
June
2023.’

In
a
farewell
message,
the
managing
director
of
Serco’s
transport
business
John
Whitehurst
said:
‘We
are
immensely
proud
of
everything
that
we
have
achieved
since
we
were
awarded
the
contract
to
run
the
Caledonian
Sleeper
in
2014.

‘During
the
eight
years
since
Serco’s
inaugural
services
departed,
we
have
brought
about
massive
improvements
to
every
aspect
of
the
service
for
our
employees,
our
passengers
and
for
Scotland,
despite
having
made
significant
losses
on
the
contract.

‘These
improvements
have
been
an
extraordinary
achievement
by
everyone
involved
in
running
the
service
and
we
are
grateful
to
everyone
for
their
hard
work,
and
we
wish
them
all
good
luck
and
a
great
future.
We
hand
the
Caledonian
Sleeper
over
to
the
Scottish
Government
in
great
shape,
secure
in
the
knowledge
that
this
is
now
a
world
class
service
that
represents
the
best
of
Scotland.’