The Scottish Co-operative Party today called for the suspension of the ScotRail franchise process until the new powers for the Scottish Parliament are settled.  It is proposed that the Scottish Parliament will in future have the power to let the ScotRail franchise to a public sector or not-for-profit organisation. The Scottish Co-operative Party has produced proposals along with ASLEF for a not-for-profit mutual operator to gain the ScotRail franchise and run it along co-operative lines.

Cathy Peattie, Chair of the Scottish Co-operative Party, said:

“I am happy to back the call from the rail unions for the ScotRail franchise process to be suspended until the new powers being given to the Scottish Parliament are clear and are in place. It is clear that there is strong support for more power over rail franchises to be held by the Scottish Parliament. Therefore it makes no sense for the decision on the future of ScotRail to be made before these powers are transferred.”

‘The Scottish Co-operative Party produced an excellent set of proposals in conjunction with ASLEF to create a People’s Railway for Scotland. Our proposals call on the Scottish Government to take control of the ScotRail franchise and put in place a model that would run the service in the interests of the people of Scotland. This would see profit invested directly back in to the service itself rather than paid to shareholders.’

‘The Scottish Co-operative Party will be campaigning for a people’s railway for Scotland and also for a settlement which gives the Scottish Parliament the powers to create a fairer, better more co-operative Scotland.’