Abellio ScotRail - A

 

Abellio ScotRail, operating services under the name ScotRail, was the national train operating company of Scotland. A subsidiary of Abellio, it operated the ScotRail franchise from 1 April 2015, taking over from predecessor First ScotRail.

 

The franchise ended on 31 March 2022 and was replaced by ScotRail, an operator of last resort owned by the Scottish Government.

 

 

In November 2013, Transport Scotland announced that Abellio, Arriva, FirstGroup, MTR Corporation and National Express had been shortlisted to bid for the new ScotRail franchise. In October 2014, the franchise was awarded to Abellio.

 

The franchise was to operate for seven years with a three-year extension available contingent on performance criteria being met. Abellio began operating the franchise on 1 April 2015 and it opened the Borders Railway on 6 September 2015.

 

In June 2016, the RMT union announced that train conductors would be going on strike several times during the summer months in protest at more driver only trains. Six 24-hour and three 48-hour strikes were held on ScotRail services during June and July 2016.

 

An agreement was reached in September 2016, bringing an end to the dispute. It was agreed that the new Class 385 trains would have the doors controlled by both the driver and the conductors, the driver opening the doors and the conductors closing them.

 

On 20 January 2017 the managing director of ScotRail and the ScotRail alliance stepped down from his role after 18 months in the company. Within a few days Alex Hynes was named as the new managing director.

 

Having failed to meet the performance criteria necessary to gain a three-year extension, the franchise concluded on 31 March 2022 with ScotRail taking over the franchise as an operator of last resort.

 

 

Abellio ScotRail Franchise(s): ScotRail