SCOTLAND’S transport unions have joined forces to call on Nicola Sturgeon to give a commitment on the future of the country’s railways.

With ScotRail to revert to public ownership when the current franchise runs out in March 2022, the First Minister met the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) general council today.

Before the meeting, the unions highlighted an internal ScotRail report by Professor Iain Docherty, a former non-executive director of ScotRail and Transport Scotland, which questions whether providing ticket offices will be viable in future and suggests a 10 per cent cut in services. 

Concerns have been raised over the proposals, which would lead to the loss of more than 1,000 jobs and undermine efforts to address climate change.

In a joint statement, the Aslef, RMT, TSSA and Unite unions said: “We need cast-iron commitments from Nicola Sturgeon at her meeting with the STUC general council on Thursday.

“The Scottish government must reject the report from Prof Docherty which seeks to exploit the Covid pandemic and its fallout to attack the jobs of railway workers and cut the services they provide to the public.

“Scotland needs investment in a safe, secure, reliable and accessible public rail system that meets the needs of the travelling public and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

“We are committed to working with the Scottish government to provide that, but we will not accept attacks on our members’ jobs and the rail services.”

ScotRail responded by criticising continuing industrial action by trade unions over pay injustices and working conditions, saying that now is not the time to put the railways’ recovery in jeopardy.

Transport Scotland said that plans to bring ScotRail into public hands are continuing to progress, with the needs of Scotland’s railways being assessed.