PUBLICLY OWNED ScotRail operators have spent £1.2 million on providing emergency transport to replace cancelled trains since being taken back into state ownership by the Scottish government last year, new research has found.

Scottish Labour is set to reveal research today that more than £4m had been spent on replacement transport when cancellations due to engineering and maintenance work took place.

But it found that £1.2m was spent on unplanned emergency replacement transport.

It accused SNP ministers of “incompetence” and of “missing an opportunity to deliver a rail service that truly meets the needs of its passengers.” 

ScotRail was taken into public ownership and management in March last year after years of failures in the hands of profiteering private operators.

Scottish Labour’s transport spokesman Alex Rowley said: “Eye-watering sums of money are being robbed from services as a result of the SNP’s incompetence.

“Public ownership should have been a chance to deliver a railway service that puts passengers’ needs first, but instead we are getting the same old SNP failure.

“Services have been plagued by cancellations and chaos, and passengers are paying eye-watering fares for the privilege. 

“There must be urgent action to deliver the reliable, affordable rail service Scotland deserves.”

Scottish Labour said that replacement transport costs included £270,000 spent on taxis to rescue passengers left stranded by cancellations.

It said that the SNP had wasted an opportunity to transform Scotland’s railways, instead delivering “the same old SNP failure.”

The SNP was invited to comment. 

ScotRail was previously run by Dutch state-owned rail operator Abellio.