SCOTRAIL

That this House is alarmed by Transport Scotland's Rail 2014 consultation on the future of the Scotrail franchise; notes that the document proposes to stop all cross-border services from running beyond Glasgow and Edinburgh and therefore grant Scotrail a monopoly on Scotland's railway; further notes that it also proposes to reduce services and force more interchanges; is shocked that it plans on shielding Scotrail's profits from the wider economy by introducing a risk support mechanism where no real risk exists and in order for dividends to shareholders to remain massive; is appalled at the proposal tocut the numbers of ticket officestaff, conductors and catering staff; is deeply concerned that the proposal for a massive increase in fares to an RPI + three per cent. formula will have a negative effect on both the economy and efforts to encourage modal shift; and believes that the proposed separation of the sleeper services from the main franchise will greatly reduce the quality of service for the travelling public.