Rail services in the SPT area
Who runs the rail service?
The franchise agreement
The structure of the rail industry is quite complex. In Scotland a single rail operating company provides the majority of rail services under a franchise agreement. The timetable, routes and fares that the rail operating company works to are laid down in the franchise.
In October 2004, First ScotRail won the franchise to operate rail services in the Strathclyde area and across Scotland as a whole. First ScotRail runs the trains and manages stations. It is responsible for ensuring trains keep to the timetable and that delays are kept to a minimum. It can be fined under the franchise agreement for poor performance.
Ownership of assets
Network Rail owns and maintains the track and Glasgow's main stations, which are leased by the rail operating company. Similarly, a leasing company owns the trains. The rail operating company then rents the trains it needs from the leasing company.
SPT's changing role
Strathclyde Passenger Transport used to be responsible for drawing up the timetable and setting the fares for rail services in its area. SPT also co-signed the rail franchise for Strathclyde with the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA). When the SRA was abolished the Scottish Executive took over its powers under the franchise.
In November 2005, SPT's rail powers transferred to Transport Scotland, the Scottish Executive's national transport agency.
Transport Scotland is now responsible for setting the timetables and fares for rail services across the whole of Scotland and enforcing the performance standards laid down in the franchise.
Future development
Strathclyde Partnership for Transport continues to have a role in developing the rail network. We guided the Glasgow Airport Rail Link (GARL) project through the Scottish Parliament and undertook the vital development stages of design, land acquisition and advanced works. The project has now been handed over to Transport Scotland for completion.