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Daily Record
Daily Record
National
Jonathan Geddes

Lanarkshire locals 'paying price' for Scotrail timetable reduction, fumes MSP

Lanarkshire residents are "paying the price" for mismanagement of Scotrail, an MSP has blasted.

Earlier this week the rail operator introduced a reduced service, cutting several hundred services due to a lack of drivers.

A dispute with rail union ASLEF has seen the recently nationalised company say they have been forced to make the changes rather than constantly cancelling services at short notice.

The plans have seen scores of evening services cut, with the last train to Hamilton via Rutherglen from the city centre now leaving before 10pm.

The earliest train from Burnside to Glasgow in the morning is now at 7.20am, with the latest service in the evening now departing Glasgow Central at 7.45pm.

Scotrail services have been reliant on drivers working overtime and volunteering to work on rest days. However staff have refused to do so in protest at the company offering a 2.2 per cent pay rise, which they say will actually be a pay cut when inflation is taken into account.

The Glasgow list MSP Pam Duncan-Glancy, who covers Rutherglen as part of her area, has now demanded further action to find a solution.

She told Lanarkshire Live: “People use trains to get to work, attend appointments, see family and friends and attend social gatherings. The reduced timetable is stopping them doing that and making it hard for people to get where they need to be safely, reliably and on time.

Labour MSP Pam Duncan-Glancy (Scottish Parliament TV)

"Major routes across the city are now cut off before many workplaces close, leaving workers who relied on these services struggling to get home from work.

"The cost of travelling by train has increased significantly in recent years, now people are having to pay sky high prices for services that aren’t reliable, aren’t adequate and that are not running at the times people need to use them.

As it stands, we have no idea how long this timetable is set to last – people cannot effectively plan ahead either. The SNP have only been in charge of ScotRail for a month, and already their mismanagement has left the public paying the price.

"Both ScotRail and the Scottish Government have to listen to the workers, offer them they pay and conditions they deserve, reinstate services and get Scotland’s railways back on track."

Ms Duncan-Glancy has now written to Scotrail about the issue.

The Scottish transport minister Jenny Gilruth has called on Scotrail and the union to resolve the issue, but also became embroiled in a row with ASLEF after they accused her of lying about wanting unions and Scotrail to continue negotiating.

Talks were expected between Scotrail and ASLEF this week.

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