SNP ADMIT CONSTITUTIONAL UNCERTAINTY HURTS LONG TERM PLANNING OVER RAIL FRANCHISE

SNP ADMIT CONSTITUTIONAL UNCERTAINTY HURTS LONG TERM PLANNING OVER RAIL FRANCHISE - HUME

November 16, 2011 5:05 PM

Jim Hume MSP, Liberal Democrat Transport spokesperson, has hit out at the Scottish Government for breaking its promise to take Scotland's rail franchise into public ownership.

The Rail 2014 - Public Consultation report from Transport Scotland has revealed that this plan was never feasible.

For the first time in a Scottish Government document, there is an admission that constitutional uncertainty is making it difficult to plan for the long term.

Commenting, Mr Hume said:

"For years, they have promised to take Scotland's rail franchise under public ownership, but now say they have no plans to do so. Many of people who voted for the SNP will be amazed to discover that the SNP's proposal was not even possible on the day it was made.

"This is a clear broken promise.

"Furthermore, this is the first Scottish Government document to admit that constitutional uncertainty makes it difficult to plan for the long term. As a result the document highlights the option of a short term franchise.

"This makes absolutely no sense.

"Scottish Liberal Democrats have argued that a longer franchise term would give operators the confidence to invest in speedier trains for longer distance routes.

"It is disappointing that rather than consider this as an option the SNP Government has chosen short-termism over what is best for Scotland's rail passengers."

Ends

Note to Editors:

Please find below the relevant paragraphs showing that SNP plans could never work and, for the first time, admitting that "constitutional changes" makes it difficult to plan for the long term.

3.6 The current legal framework puts a number of constraints on how we might provide rail services in Scotland:

• The European Union's First Rail Package requires a degree of separation between the organisation which operates the rail infrastructure and the organisation which operates the rail passenger services. It also requires that there is a level of separation between both these organisations and government.

3.19 We are mindful that the coming years are likely to bring significant organisational and operational change across the industry as it rises to the challenges identified in the McNulty report. Over the same period there may also be, particularly for Scotland, significant constitutional changes. Accordingly, we welcome views on the merits, or otherwise, of proceeding with a short-term franchise.