ECJ EUROPEAN Cleaning Journal

Scottish train operator ScotRail has been accused of cutting back on lavatory essentials such as soap and toilet paper in an attempt to maximise profits.

Members of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers claim the rail operator is penny-pinching in both its trains and stations in a bid to break even.

And they say run-outs of essential soap and toilet paper supplies will lead to passenger toilets having to be closed more frequently.

"The toilets on the trains are crucial," said RMT Organiser Mick Hogg. "Passengers need to be put first."

The ScotRail franchise is being run by Abellio Scotland, a subsidiary of Dutch National Railways.

"The Service Quality Incentive Regime is used to assess facilities on trains and at stations - and toilets on trains are a part of that," said an Abellio Scotland spokesman. "We are held to account if they do not meet the high standards expected with fines imposed for any failures.

"This extends to a lack of provision of any of the other aspects of on-train cleanliness, which would include a lack of toilet paper and/or soap. We have had six consecutive periods of improvement in relation to SQUIRE.

"We know how important the cleanliness of our trains is to our customers, particularly the toilets on board, and that is why we place a high priority on making sure they are regularly maintained."

Transport unions are backing calls from some politicians to bring ScotRail back into public ownership. But Abellio has warned that any change of franchise would result in a "massive upheaval" and create uncertainty for passengers and staff.