Caledonian Sleeper Highlander services delayed again
The launch of new Caledonian Sleeper services to the Highlands has been delayed again, as rolling stock problems continue. Transport Scotland is now preparing to levy a fine on Caledonian Sleeper for breaching its franchise contract. Services to Aberdeen, Inverness and Fort William using the new coaches had already been postponed from the spring to 7 July, but they will not now be able to start until ‘later in the year’. Transport secretary Michael Matheson has lodged strong protests today in telephone calls to the franchise owner Serco and the rolling stock’s builder CAF.
Stagecoach to stop running trainsStagecoach Group says it will not be bidding for franchises again unless the Department for Transport modifies the amount of risk franchise-holders are expected to take. Stagecoach is currently taking legal action against the Department after its bids for West Coast Partnership, East Midlands and Southeastern were all rejected as ‘non-compliant’ in April. Stagecoach had bid for West Coast Partnership in partnership with SNCF and Virgin. As a result of the company’s decision, the last Stagecoach trains are now set to run in March next year. The company said the Group was being ‘repositioned to drive long-term profit growth from UK bus business’.
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