Big loss at scotrail

[AlexNL]

It's a subsidiary of the Dutch Railways, which themselves are publicly owned. There's no way that their intention is for the Dutch taxpayer to fund train services in Scotland. They don't run Dutch railways for a profit.

Actually, they do!

NS Operatie, the arm of NS which operates domestic services, have a contract with the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management. NS Operatie have agreed to premium payments to run the franchise.

The Dutch Ministry of Finance, the owner of the overarching NS Groep, is not happy when the group makes losses.

If anything their intention is for their Scottish operation to help fund their Dutch operation.

NS are in this to expand their market share.

Up until now NS have been given the franchise for their Dutch core network a couple of times, but new EU regulations are to bring an end to this. NS are fully aware that with just their Dutch business, they stand little chance against giants such as Keolis or DB Arriva.

On another point, we were told we were getting Dutch expertise and innovation

The opposite is true, though. NS themselves are learning from Abellio's shenanigans in the UK and in Germany.

If Abellio hadn't been there, NS would have lost the Gouda - Alphen a/d Rijn concession.

 

[Darren Measor]

Maybe scotrail should cancel more trains. At least then they might be profitable. A service I use a lot and one of my favourites.

Punctual usually on time rarely cancelled no wonder they are losing money.

 

[Carlisle]

The opposite is true, though. NS themselves are learning from Abellio's shenanigans in the UK and in Germany.

Exactly, I fully appreciate countries like France, Germany, Spain, Japan or China can offer much greater expertise on operating High Speed rai for instance , but Holland and U.K. far less so, we probably share roughly equal knowledge on conventional rai operations.

 

[Darren Measor]

It is almost impossible to run the rail service efficiently in this country with our antiquated system. I can cope with late trains as that's rarely the fault of the operators. Cancelled trains though different story.