THE alcohol ban on ScotRail trains will stay in place for the “foreseeable future”, the rail operator has confirmed.
The rule, forbidding customers from drinking booze on its services, was introduced at the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
The transport company imposed the measure in 2020 in the hopes of keeping travellers socially distanced.
At the time, ScotRail also announced people showing “specific signs of intoxication” would not be permitted to travel.
Before that, adults were allowed to drink on the trains before 9pm while being allowed to buy beer, wine and spirits on the majority of mainline services.
ScotRail said it had agreed with the Scottish Government that the alcohol ban will continue.
Announcing its plans to continue the policy, ScotRail tweeted: “We’ve agreed with the Scottish Government that we’ll keep our current alcohol ban in place for the foreseeable future.”
But the firm added that “the policy will be reviewed as part of the Scottish Government’s National Conversation on Rail”.
Transport Minister Jenny Gilruth previously said there should be talks between passengers, politicians and women’s groups about how to run the train service now it is publicly owned.
ScotRail’s service delivery director said earlier in the week that the alcohol ban had been “successful particularly in containing some of the antisocial behaviour alcohol could often generate on some services”.
David Simpson added: “I doubt it will be permanent. We want to make sure that we’ve covered all the bases before we lift it and we’ve taken into account passengers’ views to make sure that where alcohol is consumed it is done so safely and appropriately on people’s journeys.”
