Scotland’s newly nationalised rail service has refused to reveal the salaries of senior bosses.
ScotRail was taken under public ownership last week but the wages of high-level managers is still a secret.
The Sunday Mail asked the operator to state the pay of three new officials – chief operating officer Joanne Maguire and new body Scottish Rail Holdings’ chief exec officer Chris Gibb and finance boss David Lowrie.
Former MD Alex Hynes’s £330,000-a-year salary, heading up new umbrella group Scotland’s Railways, was revealed earlier this year while the rail service was still owned by private operator Abellio but the amount under public ownership has not been disclosed.
Michael Hogg, of industry union the RMT, said: “We’ve been asking ScotRail for pay levels and have been told they will be disclosed in annual accounts.
“That simply isn’t good enough. The public – and our members – should be told immediately.”
ScotRail said it would not reveal the top management team’s salary until Freedom of Information requests are made – and even then it could take three months.
The law forces public bodies to disclose info in the public interest usually within 28 days of a request.
Since 2010 Scottish non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) and public corporations must disclose senior leadership pay as part of a transparency drive.
The rail provider was renationalised on April 1. Maguire, 42, was hired as the most senior official amid union complaints she had no rail experience.
Her previous role was a university vice principal of resources.
The Aslef train drivers’ union called the decision to appoint her “staggering”.
Gibb, CEO of ScotRail management body Scottish Rail Holdings, was quizzed over a conflict of interest this year after the Sunday Mail revealed he was a director of a sideline family business which consults for other transport companies.
Checks last night reveal he still controls private consultancy firm CLGR Ltd.
Scottish Labour’s Neil Bibby said: “We need total transparency.”
Scottish Lib Dems’ Jill Reilly said: “It’s an ill omen that nationalised ScotRail is starting in such a secretive fashion.”
ScotRail said: “This information will be published in the coming weeks.”
The Scottish Government were asked to comment.
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