Question reference: S6W-00571
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 9 June 2021
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Current status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 18 June 2021
Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-00264 by Graeme Dey on 7 June 2021, whether it will set out how the "public control of ScotRail" will allow it to decarbonise railways, and for what reason decarbonisation cannot be achieved under the current control model.
Answer
As the UK Government’s own recent White Paper on rail acknowledges, the current structure of the industry was supposed to bring ‘greater efficiency and innovation’, but ‘little of this has happened’. Rather, ‘the system does not always encourage the different part of the sector to work together’.
We saw this in Scotland where a lack of co-ordination led to late and over budget delivery of projects, as flagged in our Major Projects Review 2016. We have worked hard with the industry to rectify these issues through the Team Scotland approach, making best use of the limited powers that we have. In putting arrangements in place for ScotRail services beyond March 22, we will use the opportunity to place an emphasis on the integration of rolling stock and train service plans with infrastructure works, improving the efficient whole system delivery of the Rail Decarbonisation Action Plan.
Scottish Ministers continue to believe that a devolved railway, public sector controlled and operated in the service of the public, fully integrated and truly accountable, will deliver better and more efficient services for our people and our communities. As part of the Rail Review, the Scottish Ministers and officials presented a clear case for the full devolution of rail powers. The UK Government has chosen to refuse this reasonable request.