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The existing Franchise Agreement between the Scottish Ministers and Serco Caledonian Sleepers Limited predates the implementation of the Fair Work Framework.

However, the opportunity has been taken under the current amended contractual arrangements for the pandemic period (Emergency Measures Agreements) to specify that Caledonian Sleeper should deliver against a set of Staff Engagement and Wellbeing Targets.

As contractual arrangements for the pandemic period draw to a close, Caledonian Sleeper has committed to engaging with the Scottish Government in adopting the Fair Work Framework under updated contractual arrangements.

The ticket office review is being conducted under existing rail industry processes – Schedule 17 of the Ticketing and Settlement Agreement – and as such permission was not required from Transport Scotland before Abellio ScotRail, the train operating company, consulted on ticket office opening hours.

Transport Scotland has not undertaken any assessment however Abellio ScotRail has carried out an assessment of all ticket sales, passenger assistance, ticket buying facilities, waiting areas, toilets, passenger footfall, links to local schools, colleges and businesses for every station with a ticket office. In addition, Abellio ScotRail also reviewed any instances of anti-social behaviour to ensure the proposed changes do not reduce the customer experience.

Abellio ScotRail has also confirmed that no job loses would occur and any change to opening times would be redeployed in the local area to ensure customers were better supported by having staff more visible and on the frontline.

Following Abellio ScotRail’s notification on 13 July 2021 of their intention to undertake a review of ticket office opening hours under Schedule 17 of the Ticketing and Settlement Agreement, discussions concerning this consultation were held in the normal course of franchise management business.

Abellio ScotRail as the train operating company providing passenger rail services, is responsible for the ticket office consultation.

Transport Focus, the independent watchdog for transport users, will collate and provide a report on the consultation responses.

Abellio ScotRail advise they carried out analysis from ticket issue data for each of the current ScotRail ticket offices covering the seven-week period from 30 October to 17 December 2016 & 2019, regarded in the industry as the busiest period in the year.

It is important to note the data used for the review was from 2019 and represents a period not impacted by the Covid pandemic and the associated fall in customer numbers.

Transport Scotland has not undertaken any assessment however Abellio ScotRail advise they have carried out a full review of ticket buying at all ticket offices which have remained largely the same since the 1990s. During this period there has been significant investment in the station environment. ScotRail has installed 355 ticket vending machines which accounts for 26 per cent of all ticket sales.

Increased usage and familiarity of the internet has opened up an entirely new retail channel, which in 2019 accounted for 18 per cent of all ticket sales. All train services have two members of staff on board - one driver and one ticket inspector. These factors have all contributed to a drop in ticket office usage over the past three decades. Abellio ScotRail has also made clear that customers will always receive the best value ticket regardless of how they chose to purchase.

Abellio ScotRail has advised that following consultation process, Transport Focus will analyse the results and compile a report. The report outputs will then be considered before any final decisions are reached.

Transport Scotland has not undertaken any assessment however Abellio ScotRail advise that there is an estimated carbon reduction saving of 75 tons per annum if ticket office opening hours are reviewed however we should wait for the results of the consultation before finalising. It is worth noting there will be no reduction in jobs and any change in ticket office hours will be reinvested to visible frontline activity including passenger assistance or ticket checks.

Abellio ScotRail confirmed to Transport Scotland on 13 July 2021 of their intention to undertake a review of ticket office opening hours under Schedule 17 of the Ticketing and Settlement Agreement.