NEARLY 14,000 people have called for the controversial Dutch firm in
charge of Scotland’s train service to be stripped of their contract
unless ScotRail improves.
The online petition urges the Scottish
Government to take action against Abellio over the delays and
cancellations suffered by commuters using ScotRail.
The firm have already been hit with £1.5million in fines for poor service.
The
petition and the experiences of 7000 passengers on the failing
service will be delivered to Transport Minister Humza Yousaf at
Holyrood.
They want Yousaf to make ScotRail bosses improve Scotland’s trains or strip the Dutch firm – who are making £1million a month – of their contract.
The £7billion, 10-year contract has a clause allowing it to be cancelled at the
halfway point in 2020.
Lorna
Greenwood, campaigns manager at online petitions site 38 Degrees,
said: “The huge number of people who have signed the petition and shared
their experiences is an indication of the strength of public anger at
how ScotRail is being run.
“The stories of 38 Degrees members
show how poor service means people are struggling to get on with
their
lives, from taking
their kids to school, getting to
job interviews
or making crucial hospital appointments.
“Transport Minister Humza Yousaf now has to listen to the public and demand that Abellio get their act together or face being stripped of their contract.”
The
demand was backed by the Rail Maritime and Transport Union, who last
week ended a long-running row with ScotRail over driver-only trains. here
Scottish
Labour transport spokesman Neil Bibby said: “The number of signatures
on this petition shows just how disgruntled passengers are with ScotRail
services.