MINISTERS have been urged to set a timetable for the return of all services with nationalised ScotRail after train drivers accepted a pay deal which will effectively end the pay dispute which led to major cuts to ScotRail services.
The train drivers union Aslef says that their members have voted to accept the improved offer from nationalised ScotRail which amounts to up to 10% extra in pay packets in a year.
But it is not yet clear how long the emergency timetable brought in in mid-May will remain in place in the wake of the train drivers' decision.
ScotRail has not been able to set a date for when the normal ScotRail timetable will be back in play and the temporary timetable was expected to in place for up to 10 days while service levels return to normal.
The managers of the nationalised service say they will now engage with Aslef "in the coming days on the work needed to resume the full timetable as soon as possible".
ScotRail said: "This is a complex process, and is also dependent on drivers returning to work rest days and overtime."
ScotRail said its teams are working hard to "introduce the full timetable as soon as possible".
It comes as it emerged Scots ministers have forked out £3m of taxpayers money to private consultants for advice on how to run nationalised ScotRail.
Transport Scotland has given the contract to London-based global professional services firm Arup for “technical advisory services”.
Audiences at TRNSMT music festival in Glasgow on Sunday were told they would miss last trains home if they stayed to watch headliner Lewis Capaldi.
Visitors to the 150th Open Championship in St Andrews have also been urged to avoid rail travel this week.
Record crowds are expected at the home of golf, with practice rounds already underway in advance of the four-day tournament starting in earnest on Thursday.
Johnnie Cole-Hamilton, director of championships at The R&A, said there was "a risk that fans who travel by train may find there are no services to get them home".
Scottish Conservative shadow transport minister Graham Simpson said: “It’s good news that after weeks of rail chaos there may finally be an end in sight to the SNP’s drastically reduced timetable.
“However, this dispute could have been resolved much earlier if the Transport Minister had taken charge of the situation instead of dodging responsibility for this shambles.
“The fact is that these cuts, and all the disruption and damage caused by them, could have been avoided if the SNP had got round the table and worked to resolve the situation. Instead, they chose to pass the buck and bring our rail service to its knees just a few weeks after nationalising ScotRail.
“Even now we have no clear picture of when timetables will get back to normal, and no concrete plan for resolving the problem of rest-day working that has led to Sunday timetables being slashed in half “Before the SNP start patting themselves on the back, Jenny Gilruth must urgently confirm when we can expect full service to resume and set out a concrete strategy for a rail service that is reliable, affordable and fit-for-purpose, going forward.”
Aslef officials who have been in pay talks had recommended acceptance of an initial 5% pay deal after negotiations with the nationalised rail operator's management over a month ago. A performance bonus scheme would take the wage rise to nearer 10%.
The train drivers union believes that ScotRail should return to the full timetable "as soon as practicable".
Aslef Scottish organiser Kevin Lindsay, said: “Following a ballot on the improved offer negotiated with ScotRail, Aslef members have voted to accept the proposals on pay and conditions "We are a democratic trade union and the membership has decided to accept the offer made by ScotRail So hopefully this will give ScotRail the opportunity to get the service back up and running and we'll see a full service to deliver for the people of Scotland."
North East Fife MP and Scottish Liberal Democrat deputy leader Wendy Chamberlain the dispute end may have come too late in the day for those travelling to The Open.
"Hundreds of thousands of visitors are expected in my constituency this week but there is still no guarantee that they will be able to rely on the rail network to get there," she said.
“The Transport Secretary needs to set out what will be done to prevent visitors to the home of golf getting stranded this week. We need to see a comprehensive timetable of when services will be up and running again so that no one finds themselves waiting on a train which will never come.
“So many commuters have had their plans thrown up in the air by weeks of cancellations. The government should refund a proportion of season ticket prices to reflect that so many services are cancelled.
“Then it is time to kickstart a conversation on the future of Scotland’s rail network and how to deliver a reliable service which will finally tempt people out of private cars. These discussions have been put off for far too long.”
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