The SNP Government stands accused of “running Scotland’s rail services into the ground” after new figures revealed that the nationalised Caledonian Sleeper forked out nearly £1 million in less than a year on compensation for delays.
Data obtained by the Scottish Conservatives via a Freedom of Information request shows that between 24 April 2023 and 5 April 2024, £965,672 was paid out to held-up passengers.
The vast bulk of that year covers post-nationalisation, as the SNP Government took control of the Caledonian Sleeper on 25 June 2023.
Almost £700,000 of the bill went on compensation to passengers who had been delayed over an hour.
Scottish Conservative shadow transport secretary Sue Webber MSP said the payments were further evidence – on top of ScotRail – of SNP nationalisation projects failing both Scottish taxpayers and rail users.
Scottish Conservative shadow transport secretary Sue Webber MSP said:“The SNP promised nationalising our sleeper service was the best option – and yet passengers are being let down by a service that’s too often late and taxpayers are picking up the tab for compensating them.
“As with their botched ScotRail nationalisation, it appears the SNP are making a mess of running the Caledonian Sleeper.
“Shelling out almost £1million on reimbursing travellers is the last thing we can afford at a time when the SNP’s financial mismanagement is leading to swingeing public spending cuts.
“Rail users have consistently been let down by the SNP failing to deliver on their promises, and it is driving people back into their cars and onto the roads.
“If the SNP insist on nationalising Scotland’s rail services, they must make sure they’re able to efficiently run them – instead of running them into the ground.”
Notes to editors
The Caledonian Sleeper came back into public ownership on 25 June 2023. Transport Minister Fiona Hyslop said the decision to take the service into public ownership came amidst “substantial uncertainty regarding future market conditions and the pace and impact of the [previous] UK government's rail reform process.” (BBC, 25 June 2023, link).
The Caledonian Sleeper paid out £163,430.44 in compensation for 30-minute delays between 24 April 2023 to 5 April 2024. (Scottish Conservative FOI, 11 September 2024, Available on request).
The Caledonian Sleeper paid out £690,068.90 in compensation for 1-hour plus delays between 24 April 2023 to 5 April 2024. (Scottish Conservative FOI, 11 September 2024, Available on request).
The Caledonian Sleeper paid out £112,172.73 in compensation for manual delay repay between 24 April 2023 to 5 April 2024. (Scottish Conservative FOI, 11 September 2024, Available on request).