Our new discussion paper sets out the critical need for a clear, ambitious investment plan to renew Scotland’s ageing train fleets.
With ScotRail now operating the second oldest fleet in Britain, we are launching a national conversation to build momentum behind a comprehensive and long-term national fleet renewal plan.
Although success has been achieved with the intercity interim replacements due next year and the new suburban rolling stock procurement process currently underway, critical gaps remain for the rest of the network.
Why new fleets matter
The paper addresses the pressing need for a clear fleet renewal strategy for all routes at a time when the Scottish Government faces tight budgetary constraints, and with transport funding competing against other priorities such as health, education, and social services.
In this challenging financial climate, investment decisions for ScotRail must place cost-effectiveness and efficiency at the heart of planning to ensure that every pound delivers maximum value.
We’ve set out the multi-faceted value of rail to Scotland including, but not limited to:
- Passenger experience: Upgrading the fleet is an opportunity to design services around passengers’ needs, creating a more attractive railway. Features such as level boarding, reliable heating/cooling, and cycle storage increase accessibility, reduce stress, and build passenger loyalty.
- Economic performance: A modern railway lays the groundwork for broader economic benefits. City-regions can operate as larger, more productive labour markets, boosting productivity and attracting new businesses, housing, and investment. The tourism sector also stands to benefit from a new rail fleet designed around evolving passenger needs.
- Wider public policy: Replacing diesel and ageing fossil-fuel trains with electric, battery, or hydrogen units directly reduces CO₂ emissions and eliminates harmful particulate matter around stations, directly improving air quality. A reliable network also supports Scotland’s traffic-reduction targets by encouraging a shift from road to rail.
A political priority
We’re tabling ScotRail’s ageing fleet as a critical priority for the new Government. This conversation takes place as Stephen Flynn MSP is appointed to lead on the transport portfolio at Holyrood.
Transform Chair, George Lowder said:
“We warmly congratulate Stephen Flynn on his appointment as Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Tourism, and Transport in this new Government. This is an ambitious brief, sitting at the intersection of each of these priorities.
“A modern rail network is the foundational infrastructure that drives economic growth, unlocks tourism potential, and keeps Scotland moving sustainably.
“We look forward to building a strong, productive working relationship with Mr Flynn, and demonstrating how a rolling pipeline of fleet renewal will directly support his delivery of a thriving interconnected Scottish economy.”
Join the conversation
We are now inviting stakeholders from across transport, business, and civil society to contribute to this wider discussion on the future of Scotland’s rolling stock strategy.
We are hosting a major stakeholder event in Edinburgh in June, bringing together senior leaders from transport, business, health, and the environment to ask:
What should Scotland’s next-generation fleet look like? And how do we deliver it within today’s constraints?
Interested in hearing more about this project or getting involved?
Please contact Laura, our public affairs manager, at laura.hyde-white@transform.scot
Read more about the context, the opportunities & the challenge of fleet renewal in by downloading our discussion paper here, or by viewing below.
Image credit: Niall Laybourne, FoFNL member ‘On 19 December 2021 the 11:58 from Wick is seen passing Loch an Ruathair, between Forsinard and Kinbrace.’
