Scottish Conservative Shadow Transport Minister Graham Simpson MSP said: “Jenny Gilruth admits that under Serco, with this year seeing the highest revenue since the start of the franchise, guest levels back to pre-Covid performance, guest satisfaction and employee satisfaction all going up.
“The minister agreed that the sleeper has ‘surpassed any other train company in the UK in its recovery from the pandemic’ and was ‘thriving’ and ‘a world class service.
“Given all that, there can be no conclusion other than that this is an ideological decision. Jenny Gilruth said nothing about how this ‘world class service’ can be improved under the Scottish Government.
“If it’s about value for money the minister should have explained why she has not requested or received a costed proposal from Serco for a Direct Contract Award, and how she can claim or demonstrate that the Scottish taxpayer will receive value for money from this decision.”
