The Scottish Government has been criticised for significant cuts to East Renfrewshire train services.
On Tuesday 9th July, it was announced by ScotRail that a temporary train timetable would be put in place the following day.
The temporary timetable has been introduced because of a pay dispute between ScotRail and the rail trade unions with fewer drivers accepting overtime shifts.
Both the East Kilbride line with stops at Thornliebank, Giffnock, Clarkston and Busby and the Neilston route for passengers who use Williamwood, Whitecraigs and Patterton train stations are impacted by the timetable amendments.
The East Kilbride line has been reduced from the provision of two core daytime services to just the one outside peak travel times between Monday and Saturday.
Key morning midweek services on the Neilston route have been removed including the trains scheduled to depart for Glasgow at 07.41 and 08.07.
The 21.36 and 22.35 evening trains from Glasgow to Neilston are also missing from ScotRail’s temporary timetable.
Eastwood MSP, Jackson Carlaw has pointed out that the SNP Government made the decision to nationalise ScotRail over two years ago and argued that Ministers should be considered at fault for the reduced train services now in place.
Mr Carlaw has written to the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Fiona Hyslop to highlight the detrimental impact of the cuts on the availability of train services for his constituents and called on the Scottish Government to prioritise the early return of the full timetable.
The Eastwood MSP has also written to ScotRail’s Managing Director over the reduction in services.
Scottish Conservative MSP for Eastwood, Jackson Carlaw said:
“The temporary train timetable for the East Kilbride and Neilston routes represent a significant reduction in services for my constituents.
“The scale of the service cuts for stations in Eastwood is hugely concerning and the availability of trains has been markedly reduced.
“The SNP nationalised ScotRail in April 2022 and the Scottish Government must accept blame for the dismal cuts to services now in place on Eastwood’s train routes.
“I have written to the Cabinet Secretary for Transport to highlight the damaging impact of the reduced train services in Eastwood and stressed that restoring the full timetable must be viewed as a priority issue by the Scottish Government.
“The vast cuts to train services my constituents are now having to endure is a major failure in the early years of the SNP’s public ownership model.”
Notes:
Jackson Carlaw’s letter to the Cabinet Secretary for Transport can be viewed by clicking on the below attachment.
