THE number of trains being cancelled across Scotland has risen to a new high, with the latest figures showing an average of around 70 services were scrapped every day.
It comes as Scottish Labour prepare to force a vote on the ScotRail franchise at Holyrood tomorrow, pushing for an early break in the contract to allow a new public bidder to run the service from 2022.
With the performance of the Dutch-owned franchise holder Abellio now among the worst on record, the party says it does not deserve to remain in charge any longer.
New figures put the number of ScotRail services being cancelled at almost 4 per cent in the month to mid-October, three times higher than in the first two years of the franchise.
ScotRail runs more than 2,000 services a day, meaning an average of around 70 of these were subject to cancellation. Bosses blamed the disruption caused by Storm Ali, which swept parts of the UK and Ireland in September.
Abellio took over the ScotRail franchise in April 2015, and is due to hold it until 2025. However there is a provision to end it in 2022 after a review in 2020.
It emerged last month that Transport Secretary Michael Matheson had granted a temporary waiver, allowing ScotRail to breach previously agreed standards until June 2019.
The government said it had decided not to enforce compliance breaches because many of ScotRail’s problems were caused by Network Rail, the UK body that runs the tracks.
Scottish Labour transport spokesperson Colin Smyth MSP said: “That is a failing franchise, in a failing franchising system and passengers have had enough.
“Michael Matheson should use the break in the franchise agreement to take ScotRail back into public ownership so we can deliver train services that work for the many."
Manuel Cortes, leader of the TSSA rail union, backed Labour’s call to replace Abellio. He said: “Under the SNP, ScotRail has gone from bad to worse."
A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “We know performance is not where it should be – that is why ministers can and do hold Abellio ScotRail to account within the terms of the franchise agreement.
"This includes the ability to end the contract if its terms are not met and it is in the public interest to do so – nothing has changed in this regard.”
A spokesman for Abellio said its focus was on delivering its commitments to the highest possible standards.
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