SCOTRAIL boss Phil Verster announced yesterday he was leaving the troubled firm. The response of the RMT union? “The quicker he disappears, the better.”
Verster is to leave Scotland’s national rail service less than two years after becoming managing director. He will now head the newly-announced East West rail project linking Oxford and Cambridge and though his successor has been appointed, he or she has not yet been named.
The news comes after months of public outcry over disruption on the railways and just days after Verster told MSPs the much-publicised free travel week promised to season ticket holders may not go ahead.
The £3 million scheme was announced as part of the Scottish Government’s draft budget but Verster said the money intended to pay for it had already been earmarked for other things, sparking fresh controversy.
Yesterday the chief executive of Network Rail and the managing director of ScotRail franchise holder Abellio were amongst those praising Verster for his performance, with the Scottish Government also paying tribute to his “hard work”.
However, the RMT union said it was “ecstatic” about his departure, adding that the new boss, whose identity will be revealed in the coming days, must repair damaged relationships with both staff members and the travelling public.
Mick Hogg, the RMT’s Scottish organiser, told The National Verster had “destroyed” industrial relations, adding: “The quicker he disappears, the better, as far as RMT is concerned.
“Here’s hoping his replacement, whoever it is, has a proven track record in the railway and a track record in working with the unions.
“Improving relationships with travellers and the workforce are inextricably linked. It is a big job.”
More than 20,000 people signed an online petition last year calling on the Scottish Government to “get tough on ScotRail” or strip them of their £7 billion contract amid widespread disruption and overcrowding.
One teenager told The National how he lost his apprenticeship as a result of repeated lateness caused by delayed trains.
New data shows almost 90 per cent of services arrived within five minutes of schedule in the four weeks to January 7 following the publication of an improvement plan ordered by Transport Scotland and Verster, 53, said he hoped the public would take “encouragement” from the results.
Yesterday Hogg said: “They continue to run a rotten service. We need to have enough resources and rolling stock in place to ensure Scotland’s trains run safely and reliably.”
Robert Samson, of passenger watchdog Transport Focus, said these will remain key issues for travellers, stating: “Regardless of changes to ScotRail management the passenger issues remain the same. Passengers want to see a punctual, reliable railway delivering a frequent service with the ability to get a seat, providing good levels of information and good value for money.”
And Lorna Greenwood, from campaign organisation 38 Degrees, which ran the online petition, said: “38 Degrees members will be expecting the next person who runs Scotland’s trains to provide a service that the public deserves. That means trains that have enough carriages, run on time and have working toilets.”
Verster, who was on £260,000 a year, will start his new role in the spring. Referencing the ScotRail Alliance, a partnership of Abellio ScotRail and Network Rail, he said: “Over the last two years I have worked with my team to launch the ScotRail Alliance, delivering hundreds of commitments and laying the ground for the exciting new train fleets that will start to arrive later this year.
“The opportunity to build on these same principles with the creation of a new business such as East West Rail is great for me and my family, and I wish the ScotRail Alliance team all the best for the future.”
The LibDems have called for Transport Minister Humza Yousaf to give a statement to parliament over the resignation and Green MSP Alison Johnstone said his replacement must begin work immediately to “improve the current dismal situation”.
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “We are grateful to Phil Verster for his hard work during a transitional time in charge of Abellio ScotRail and the ScotRail Alliance, and wish him well in his next venture.”
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