The SNP’s under-pressure transport chief tried to shift anger for ScotRail cut-backs onto the operator, declaring: “I don’t drive the trains”.
MSP Jenny Gilruth faced a barrage of angry questions in Holyrood from the Conservatives, Labour and her own SNP backbenchers over a new reduced timetable.
Around 30% of train services across Scotland have been slashed due to industrial action over train drivers working on rest days.
Scottish Labour urged government to give up their chauffeur-driven cars until the train dispute is fixed in a heated exchange at first minister’s questions.
‘Not forgotten the buck stops with me’
Ms Gilruth told MSPs the cuts are down to a dispute between trade union Aslef and ScotRail but she will not be getting involved in the negotiations.
She said: “I have not forgotten that the buck stops with me.
“I am getting regular updates on the timetables and I am working to ensure appropriate carriage allocation because they’re running limited services, only around 70%.
“The other action I have taken is to ask to reintroduce a number of services, and more information on that will be forthcoming.”
Conservative MSP Graham Simpson pushed the transport minister to say what extra train services are going to run.
Heckled from the backbenches, she replied: “I am not here to inform him of additional services because ScotRail is the train operator and I am the transport minister.
“The member will recognise the difference between the two.
“I don’t drive the trains.”
Ministers told to give up chauffeured cars
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar later said government members should give up their ministerial cars until the situation is fixed.
Speaking at first minister’s questions, he said: “There are 28 chauffeur-driven cars for ministers to get to and from work while the SNP government is cutting 1,000 services a day, offering no buses and forcing people to work to get taxis home.”
The new temporary timetable has seen 700 services cuts, after hundreds were cut earlier in the year as well.
Deputy First Minister John Swinney – filling in while Nicola Sturgeon recovers from Covid – said the pandemic made the driver shortage worse.
He said there are almost 900 applications to sort through.
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