The Scottish Government has pushed back its target date for the decarbonisation of all passenger trains by a decade.
Originally planned for 2035, ministers now say the complete removal of diesel passenger trains will need to take place by 2045 due to “constrained budgets and logistical requirements”.
The 2035 date was part of the Government’s greenhouse gas emissions projections published earlier this year.
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Labour branded the delay “shambolic”, saying Scotland’s “archaic” rail infrastructure needs to be upgraded.
The revised timeline was set out by Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop in a written answer at Holyrood.
She informed MSPs that procurement of a new fleet of trains to replace ScotRail’s 25-strong high-speed trains (HST) is under way.
Unions have called for the ageing carriages to be removed from service following the Stonehaven rail crash in 2020.
Ms Hyslop said: “ScotRail will run the procurement in a fair and transparent manner, enabling Scottish suppliers to provide their services to potential bidders.
“In the meantime, the HSTs remain safe to run until a replacement fleet is ready; they are needed for the capacity required by ScotRail to deliver an appropriate service level.”
Ms Hyslop said the Government’s decarbonisation plan for the railways was always “dynamic” and has now had to be revised.
The Transport Secretary continued: “The original target date of 2035 for complete removal of diesel passenger trains from the Scottish network can no longer be met, due to constrained budgets and logistical requirements impacting adversely on the delivery programme.
“The physical delivery of electrification works needs to be staged to reduce the impact on passengers as much as is practicable.
“Undertaking too much disruptive engineering work across the network at the same time would have significant farebox revenue impacts and would significantly diminish the attractiveness of rail travel for the public.
“The revised (decarbonisation plan) will demonstrate phased full decarbonisation by 2045.
“The refreshed plan is now expected to be published in spring 2025.”
Scottish Labour MSP Claire Baker said “Scotland’s long-suffering rail passengers will be disappointed to hear they will have to wait an extra decade for the modern rail services they were promised.
“This appears to be yet another example of this shambolic SNP Government setting a target to get the headlines but making no serious attempt to meet it and deliver for Scotland.
“The SNP must get its act together and set out a real plan to upgrade Scotland’s archaic rail infrastructure and deliver the green, reliable rail service passengers deserve.”
Scottish Liberal Democrat climate crisis spokesperson Liam McArthur said: “This is yet another blow to passengers and the planet.
“Yet again, ministers have announced a target in one breath and ditched it in another because they haven’t done the work to make it achievable.
“A more modern, more reliable and greener rail service is in everyone’s interests, but the SNP don’t seem to care.”
Kevin Lindsay, Scottish organiser for train drivers’ union Aslef, welcomed the plans to replace the HST fleet but accused the Scottish Government of “dodging its environmental responsibilities” by delaying full electrification and decarbonisation.
