RAIL union Aslef has called for more say in decision-making after two senior posts in a new holding company set to take control of Scotland’s railway system were announced. 

Abellio is to be stripped of its ScotRail contract from April, and the franchise is being brought into public ownership under holding company Scottish Rail Holdings (SRH).

Transport Minister Graeme Dey has now announced the appointment of Chris Gibb as chief executive and David Lowrie as finance director for SRH from April 1.

Mr Dey said the new appointees would “bring with them a wealth of knowledge in the rail industry.”

He added: “The Scottish government is of the view that this is the most robust and sustainable model available under current UK rail legislation, which we have no powers to change.

“It strikes a balance between the ability of experienced rail professionals to make operational decisions and overall accountability to the Scottish government.”

But Aslef executive committee member for Scotland Jim Baxter said that trade unions and workers should be at the heart of discussions about the plans for a new publicly owned operator, saying the system must be fully democratised. 

He said: “As things currently stand, trade unions are looking in from the outside. This is wrong, unsatisfactory and needs to be addressed urgently.

“That’s why these appointees must facilitate a change in approach, end elitist top-down policy-making and make workers central, not peripheral, when designing the new publicly owned ScotRail.

“Aslef congratulates Mr Gibb and Mr Lowrie on their appointments.

“One of their first tasks must be to meet with Aslef and the other trade unions to discuss the way forward and how we create world-class rail services in Scotland.”