Scots commuters are “about 50/50” on ending a ban on drinking on ScotRail, bosses from the country’s publicly owned rail service have said. 

Appearing before Holyrood's Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee, ScotRail chief operating officer Joanne Maguire said a consultation had returned "no clear winner."

Strict rules forbidding booze was brought in at the start of the pandemic in a bid to keep travellers socially distant. 

Previously, passengers could drink after 10am before 9pm and were able to buy beer, wine and spirits on most trains. 

READ MORE: Alcohol-related hospital stays in Scotland at 17-year low

The publicly owned firm launched a consultation at the end of last year, with customers who logged on to free wifi being asked for a Yes or No answer to the question: "Would you be supportive of ScotRail removing the permanent alcohol ban on trains and in stations?"

A second question asked: "If the current total alcohol ban remained in place, would this impact on your decision to travel with ScotRail for leisure journeys in the future?"

Respondents are also quizzed on whether they would be less or more inclined to get on a ScotRail train in that situation, or whether it would not affect them either way.

 

The Scottish Tories have previously urged Humza Yousaf to lift the ban, claiming it was regularly flouted and ScotRail and the British Transport Police both considered it “unworkable”.

Ms Maguire told the committee: “That was part of the feedback that we have reported back, and there’s no clear winner.

“It’s roughly around a 50/50 split on views of alcohol.

“We’re conscious that it’s a policy decision because there’s a broader impact of alcohol on society, not just the safety of our trains.”

Ms Maguire was unable to say when the results of the survey and other feedback on the ban were presented to the Scottish Government.

Alex Hynes, the outgoing managing director of Scotland’s Railway, said the ban was something that “really divides opinion” but ultimately was for Scottish ministers to decide.

READ MORE: Peak rail fares on ScotRail must go permanently say unions

He also told the committee that 65% of Scotland’s 1,000 train carriages will need to be replaced over the coming years.

Meanwhile, Kathryn Darbandi, the managing director of Caledonian Sleeper Ltd, said the firm would look to see if there were “back office synergies” that could be utilised following the overnight service's nationalisation last year. 

Although it is now under Scottish Government control, there is an existing contract with outsourcing company Serco.

Ms Maguire said there were no plans to merge the management of the two services.