2 March 2023
RMT Press Office:
Rail union, RMT warmly welcomed today's decision by the Scottish government to take Caledonian Sleeper into public ownership.
The announcement, made by Jenny Gilruth MSP in the Scottish Parliament, is a victory for RMT’s long hard-fought campaign for public ownership of the iconic service.
It will give the Scottish Government an opportunity to ensure this sustainable, low carbon route between Scotland and London can be run for passengers' interests, not private profit.
Previously contractor Serco ran the services making millions of pounds in profit for shareholders and speculators.
This decision means that both the Scottish and Welsh Governments are running all of their rail passenger services in public ownership.
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: "RMT has campaigned tirelessly for this win, and I congratulate every part of the union who had a hand in making this a reality.
"The Scottish government has done the right thing and now joins the Welsh government in bringing all passenger services into public ownership.
"We thank the sterling work done by Richard Leonard MSP and other Scottish politicians who have supported us in this successful campaign.
"This decision should be a wake-up call to the Department for Transport in Westminster, to end its failed obsession with privatisation and bring the whole railway system into public ownership."
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