Latest news with #RichardLeonard
The Herald Scotland
18-05-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
The new £144m electric rail line without enough trains
Recently. I've been pondering another big question, namely what can you buy for £144 million? A couple of decent midfielders for an English Premier League team would be one and I suppose you could conceivably get quite a large swathe of Perthshire too and still have a bit of change left over. However, it transpires that what you cannot guarantee with that sort of money is a better rail service. This week will see the re-opening of the line between Glasgow and East Kilbride reopen after being shut for since January. The electrification of the line is part of the Scottish Government's plans to decarbonise Scotland's rail passenger services by 2035. Since January, the route has been transformed with full electrification of the route, new stations at Hairmyres and East Kilbride. The work has also improved access at Giffnock, with a new accessible footbridge and a new station entrance at Clarkston. The existing track has also been lowered near Busby, Clarkston and Giffnock stations so that overhead line equipment can be accommodated under some bridges. As a result of work on the track there have been no trains on the line since January 25. So this week, commuters, and there are a considerable number along the route, could realistically expect to see an increased service. Alan Simpson: Giving CalMac contract is right - now give them better ships Alan Simpson: Forcing landowners to sell to locals is not the best solution Alan Simpson: Any port in a storm as ministers look to buy Ardrossan One of the promises made at the start of the work was that a double track would allow services to be increased from two every hour to four. In the evenings, after 7pm, the service is reduced to just one an hour which is unacceptable for a line that serves one of Scotland's largest towns with a population of around 75,000. It also passes through the densely populated suburbs of Glasgow on the way so the service was not really fit for purpose given the numbers of potential passengers. So, I'm sure there would be an air of anticipation from regulars who have been forced to get the bus since January when the new timetables were issued. Unfortunately they would have been in for a nasty surprise as the timetable appears to be exactly the same as it was before the line was closed. Which does rather beg the question - what was the point? After spending £144milllion on an upgrade then passengers have a right to feel a little short-changed by having to suffer the same poor service, in the same old trains than before. At least you would hope the trains will have all been hoovered in the interim. Last week it was revealed that cost has risen to almost £144 million. The new figure was presented in a letter to Richard Leonard, convener of Holyrood's public audit committee by Alyson Stafford, director general of the Scottish Exchequer, the civil servant responsible for the Scottish Budget including tax, spending and measuring performance. The original estimate for the work said it would cost between £100m and £120m. The figure was later revised to £139.8m. Ms Stafford said: 'The Original Business Case (OBC) outlined that total project cost was estimated to be £100m to £120m and that it was estimated to be operational in December 2024. 'The Full Business Case (FBC) outlined that total project cost was estimated to be £139.8m and that it was estimated to be operational in December Anticipated Final Cost is now £143.7 million which is an increase to that at FBC and as previously reported.' She went on to say the additional cost was mostly due to Transport Scotland having to contribute towards the delivery of a car park at a new relocated station in Hairmyres in East Kilbride. The re-opening of the line will be welcome to the tens of thousands of people who have faced gridlock on the roads at various spells during the work. A series of road improvements took place simultaneously while the track was electrified. The result was apparently total chaos which has a serious side as ambulances were struggling to access Hairmyres hospital at one point because of the traffic. But the fact that there is no change to the timetable will be scant consolation to the passengers. Electric trains are not due to be operational until December while the works are completely finished. Hopefully then a new timetable will be introduced and the whole point of the works will become clear. However, no new electric trains have been ordered by Scotrail so, presumably, the service will be run by rolling stock that is currently being used on other parts of the network. This will inevitably see capacity being reduced elsewhere so that services can run on the East Kilbride line. Scotrail has already admitted it cannot guarantee that all services will be electric when the new timetable is introduced in December, which kind of begs the question what is the point? Why spend millions electrifying railway lines and then not buying new trains? But this, perhaps, sums up the current sticking plaster approach to Scotland's transport system that has been allowed to happen in recent years. Transport Scotland, of course, has form for this in the ferry network with new vessels being ordered for ports that cannot accommodate them and are not yet upgraded. Elsewhere, ferries are taken off routes to fill holes elsewhere which leaves disruption pretty much everywhere in the islands. Now, two major Glasgow commuter lines will have been electrified in recent years - to East Kilbride and also to Barrhead - but no rolling stock appears to have been ordered to run on them. Scotrail has the oldest fleet in the UK and last took delivery of 70 electric trains in 2018 when the network was in private hands, operated by Abellio. Plans were announced to purchase new suburban trains in 2022 followed by replacements for rural lines and high speed trains. Unfortunately, these have not yet materialised which shows the expensive folly that nationalisation could well become. Private firms were obliged to introduce new fleets as part of their franchise agreements but this doesn't seem to be the case in public hands. As has been shown with the ferry network, Transport Scotland and ministers have form for complacency when it comes to providing a fleet that's fit for purpose. Sadly, the rail network seems to be going that way too.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Lavish spending at water watchdog was unacceptable, says report
The Scottish government failed to properly scrutinise lavish spending at a body charged with regulating Scottish Water, according to a new report. Holyrood's public audit committee said a lack of expenditure oversight at the Water Industry Commission for Scotland (Wics) was "simply unacceptable". A report by the auditor general detailed how public money was spent sending a senior manager on a course at Harvard Business School in the US, Mulberry sunglasses and business-class flights to New Zealand. A Scottish government spokesperson said steps had been taken to improve management at the commission, but acknowledged previous expenditure "was completely and utterly unacceptable". Committee convener Richard Leonard told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme that there had been a "flagrant misuse" of public money. He said: "This is a body to promote value for the customers of Scottish Water, and yet by any measure it fell well below the standards of what any public body should meet in the way it conducts its own affairs." He added there was constant excessive expenditure on hospitality, including meals and alcohol. He said: "In 2023 a decision was taken that there should be no limit whatsoever on the organisation's expenditure on things like alcohol. It really has been an extraordinary catalogue of misuse of public money." Water body boss departure cost public purse £105k Water watchdog boss put £170 wallet on expenses Wics chief executive Alan Sutherland, and its chairman Donald MacRae stood down in the wake of reports by auditor general Stephen Boyle in 2023 and consultant Ernst & Young the following year. They found a total of £77,350 was spent on Wics chief operating officer Michelle Ashford attending the Harvard course, which included return flights to Boston. Richard Leonard told BBC Scotland the Harvard course was not a one-off, as other staff completed MBA courses worth about £70,000. The auditor general's report found that approval for the expenses was only sought afterwards, despite a Scottish government policy stating approval was required in advance for any expenses above £20,000. Mr Sutherland also signed off on a business class flight from New Zealand - worth more than £18,159 - for the director of corporate and international affairs and her spouse. Mr Sutherland was also found to have submitted expenses claims for a £170 Mulberry wallet and £290 glasses which "had no clear business purpose". A further £2,600 went on providing every staff member with a £100 gift card for Christmas, while it was noted the commission had an "unusual" policy allowing staff to claim alcohol on expenses. Nine meals cost a total of £2,699 - £996 of which was spent on alcohol. Mr Sutherland was given a £14,000 payment for annual leave he did not use and in December 2024 it emerged Wics spent a total of £105,000 on his departure from the organisation a year earlier. Mr MacRae quit in October last year, months after a letter from net zero and energy secretary Mairi McAllan criticised the way in which Mr Sutherland's resignation was handled. But Richard Leonard said the Scottish government had been responsible for a lack of critical oversight of the commission's spending, which had allowed it to continue. He said: "The committee is clear that there also appears to have been a serious lack of oversight from the Scottish government. "This failure from those who are meant to be safeguarding the public purse is simply unacceptable." He told BBC Scotland there needed to be a much more objective relationship between the Scottish government civil service and public bodies like Wics. The commission's role is to promote the interests of water and sewerage customers and ensure Scottish Water provides cost-effective services to ministerial objectives. The committee's report acknowledged there had been widespread changes to the board and management since the auditor general's findings were published. However, it urged the current board to undergo refresher training on their roles and responsibilities to ensure that the failure of responsibilities does not happen again. Leonard said: "We have heard about significant changes within Wics and the organisation's commitment to improve the governance arrangements. These are clearly welcome. "But we want to see concrete evidence of these changes to ensure that the unacceptable culture that was in place has truly gone." Scottish Conservative MSP Graham Simpson, who sits on the committee, said the behaviour of Wics had been "deplorable". He said: "This organisation had a wild west approach to spending. "The Scottish government, who were meant to be watching what was going on, was sleeping at the wheel and must also take the rap. "This whole scandal raises the question of whether Wics should be allowed to continue at all, or in its current form." A Scottish government spokesperson said it had taken steps to improve the management of the commission. They said a full response would be provided in due course. "Ministers have been clear that the approach to expenditure at Wics up until December 2023 was completely and utterly unacceptable," they added. "We have taken steps to improve our sponsorship function, completing all the management actions set out in the internal review of Wics sponsorship published last November." Wics interim chairman Ronnie Hinds said: "With direction from our board and through the commitment of our leadership team and staff, we have taken decisive action to strengthen governance, improve financial controls and embed a culture that is firmly focused on best value. "Everyone at Wics continues to be fully focused on regaining trust and reaffirming our role as an economic regulator that upholds the highest standards, both in our regulatory approach and in our stewardship of public resources." Water regulator chairman quits after Harvard spending row Public water body claimed £77k for Harvard course Water body chief resigns over Harvard expenses row
STV News
16-05-2025
- Business
- STV News
'Catalogue of failures' led to spending scandal at Scotland's water watchdog
A 'catalogue of failures' is to blame for the 'inappropriate and unacceptable' use of public money at Scotland's water watchdog, a report has found. The Water Industry Commission for Scotland is said to have been wasting public money, 'failing in its responsibilities' – leading to a lack of financial control, failing to follow its own rules, and leaving MSPs with 'deep concerns'. The Scottish Parliament's Public Audit Committee also found 'significant weaknesses and failings in the Scottish Government's approach' to the watchdog's management. The findings have come from the committee's latest report into the Water Industry Commission for Scotland (WICS) finances on Friday. The board's 'inappropriate and unacceptable' spending on training courses for senior staff, benefits to the workforce and, hospitality has already been widely reported. However, the report said there was also a 'complete failure by the Scottish Government to challenge the culture at WICS', which led to the unacceptable use of public funds. Speaking as the report launched, audit committee convener MSP Richard Leonard called the evidence he heard about the arrangements at WICS 'simply extraordinary'. 'That the body, charged with promoting long term value from Scottish Water to its customers, itself failed to live up to the standards required of a public body left the Committee with deep concerns,' Leonard said. 'But the Committee is clear that there also appears to have been a serious lack of oversight from the Scottish Government. This failure from those who are meant to be safeguarding the public purse is simply unacceptable.' The report on Friday is the latest in a series of investigations to try and figure out what went wrong, and how to prevent failures like it in the future. The Committee has now called on the Scottish Government to review its systems for identifying concerns with public bodies to ensure any issues are caught at an early stage. The water watchdog first came under scrutiny in 2023 after an Audit Scotland report found evidence of 'inappropriate spending'. That original report found almost £75,000 of WICS expenditure did not meet public spending rules and £20,000 did not represent value for money. More specifically, the report revealed that the former chief executive of WICS had an expense claim for a £170 Mulberry wallet approved during his time on the board. Alan Sutherland also put glasses costing £290 on his expenses, among a number of 'bulk' claims which appear to have been approved en masse without proper oversight. Further investigations later revealed that Mr Sutherland had claimed a £400 high-end restaurant meal on an office credit card, with the expense being paid despite failing to provide a receipt. He stood down from the board within hours of an Audit Scotland report being released. Mr Sutherland's departure cost the public purse £105,488 as he was paid six months' salary and legal fees were incurred. WICS also spent more than £77,000 on a course for a senior executive at Harvard Business School in the US. A further £2,600 was claimed to provide every staff member with a £100 gift card for Christmas. The report recognised that there has been widespread Board and management departures from WICS, and indeed from the Scottish Government, since the first audit reports were published in 2023. The Committee also confirmed that no further non-compliant spending was found between January and March 2024, but they said 'this must be kept under close scrutiny'. Nonetheless, the audit committee called on the current WICS board to undergo refresher training on their roles and responsibilities to ensure that the failure of responsibilities does not happen again. It also called on the Scottish Government to review its systems for identifying concerns with public bodies to ensure any issues are caught at an early stage. 'We have heard about significant changes within WICS and the organisation's commitment to improve the governance arrangements. These are clearly welcome. But we want to see concrete evidence of these changes to ensure that the unacceptable culture that was in place has truly gone,' Leonard said. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Daily Record
12-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
Cost of East Kilbride railway enhancement works rockets to £144million
The original estimate for the cost of the work was between £100m and £120m. The final bill for the East Kilbride Enhancement Project has rocketed to £144million. The major infrastructure project to electrify the train line between East Kilbride and Glasgow train line is expected to be completed this December. Since January, specialist teams have been working around-the-clock to install the new infrastructure needed to power electric trains as part of a £140million investment by the Scottish Government. So far during the closure Network Rail has double-tracked 1.4km of railway between East Kilbride and Hairmyres, installed over 22km of overhead electric power lines, erected new footbridges at Busby, Clarkston and Giffnock stations, renewed the railway bridge over East Kilbride Road in Busby and lowered the track under three key bridges. Engineers are finishing the installation of new signalling systems on the route and are working towards completion of the new Hairmyres station. The train line is scheduled to reopen on May 18 following a 16-week closure. The original estimate for the cost of the work was between £100m and £120m but this was later revised to £139.8m. The new £144million figure was mentioned in a letter to Richard Leonard, convener of Holyrood's public audit committee by director general of the Scottish Exchequer Alyson Stafford. Ms Stafford said that the additional cost was mostly due to Transport Scotland having to contribute towards the car park at a new relocated station in Hairmyres, East Kilbride. She said: "The Original Business Case (OBC) outlined that total project cost was estimated to be £100m to £120m and that it was estimated to be operational in December 2024. "The Full Business Case (FBC) outlined that total project cost was estimated to be £139.8m and that it was estimated to be operational in December Anticipated Final Cost is now £143.7 million which is an increase to that at FBC and as previously reported." The work also includes a new accessible footbridge at Giffnock station and a new station entrance at Clarkston. The existing track will also be lowered near Busby, Clarkston and Giffnock stations for new overhead line equipment. A spokesperson for Transport Scotland said: "Unfortunately SPT could not fulfil its contribution with the withdrawal of its capital grant funding last financial year. "The electrification of the East Kilbride to Glasgow Central line is part of the Scottish Government's plans to decarbonise Scotland's rail passenger services by 2035. A Network Rail Scotland spokesperson added: 'Our engineers have been working around-the-clock to deliver the enhancements at East Kilbride as quickly as possible, and we remain on course to deliver the electrification of the railway on time and to budget. "We have been working with multiple partners to deliver this significant package of works, including the construction of a new station building at Hairmyres. Further funding has been provided by Transport Scotland to enable South Lanarkshire Council to deliver a new station car park, which will support more members of the public to utilise the railway. "We are looking forward to welcoming passengers back onto the railway, as planned, on Sunday, May 18." And did you know Lanarkshire Live is on Facebook? Head on over and give us a like and share!
Glasgow Times
09-05-2025
- Business
- Glasgow Times
Cost of major Glasgow rail project rises by more than £40million
The new figure was presented in a letter to Richard Leonard, convener of Holyrood's public audit committee by Alyson Stafford, director general of the Scottish Exchequer, the civil servant responsible for the Scottish Budget including tax, spending and measuring performance. The original estimate for the work said it would cost between £100m and £120m. The figure was later revised to £139.8m. Ms Stafford told Mr Leonard the project is part of the East Kilbride and Barrhead Rail Enhancement scheme designed to make rail services "reliable, efficient, and attractive to passengers and support modal shift whilst progressing against the Scottish Government's target to de-carbonising the rail network". READ NEXT: Glasgow English teacher boasted about the size of his manhood, court hears READ NEXT: 'Truly remarkable' Glasgow church goes up for sale She added: "The Original Business Case (OBC) outlined that total project cost was estimated to be £100m to £120m and that it was estimated to be operational in December 2024. "The Full Business Case (FBC) outlined that total project cost was estimated to be £139.8m and that it was estimated to be operational in December Anticipated Final Cost is now £143.7 million which is an increase to that at FBC and as previously reported." She went onto say the additional cost was mostly due to Transport Scotland having to contribute towards the delivery of a car park at a new relocated station in Hairmyres in East Kilbride. The work is still expected to be completed this December and will see the electrification of the railway from Glasgow to East Kilbride, a new station at East Kilbride, a new station with two platforms and accessible footbridge at Hairmyres and a new footbridge at Busby station. The work also promises to improve access at Giffnock, with a new accessible footbridge and a new station entrance at Clarkston. The existing track will also be lowered near Busby, Clarkston and Giffnock stations so that overhead line equipment can be accommodated under some bridges. As a result of work on the track, overhead line equipment and bridges, there have been no trains on the line between East Kilbride and Thornliebank stations since January 25. The service between the two stations is due to resume on May 18. Transport Scotland said the main reason for the cost increase is in relation to providing a contribution to the delivery of the car parks, and associated works, at Hairmyres Station which were originally to be funded by South Lanarkshire Council and Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT). "Unfortunately SPT could not fulfil its contribution with the withdrawal of its capital grant funding last financial year," said a spokeswoman. The electrification of the East Kilbride to Glasgow Central line is part of the Scottish Government's plans to decarbonise Scotland's rail passenger services by 2035. A spokesperson for Network Rail Scotland said: 'Our engineers have been working around-the-clock to deliver the enhancements at East Kilbride as quickly as possible, and we remain on course to deliver the electrification of the railway on time and to budget. "We have been working with multiple partners to deliver this significant package of works, including the construction of a new station building at Hairmyres. Further funding has been provided by Transport Scotland to enable South Lanarkshire Council to deliver a new station car park, which will support more members of the public to utilise the railway. "We are looking forward to welcoming passengers back onto the railway, as planned, on Sunday 18 May."
