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Transport Minister Humza Yousaf monitors ScotRail commute Humza Yousaf rejects calls to quit as transport minister
(35 minutes later)
Transport Minister Humza Yousaf is visiting some of Scotland's busiest railway stations to see the issues passengers using the network face. Transport Minister Humza Yousaf has said he will not quit amid growing criticism of Scotland's rail service.
It follows growing criticism of the operator over delayed, cancelled and overcrowded trains. Train drivers union Aslef called for him to be sacked following widespread disruption across the network on Thursday.
On Thursday, there were delays and cancellations to services across Scotland after a train broke down in Edinburgh. It follows growing dissatisfaction with Scotrail over delayed, cancelled and overcrowded trains.
This led to an apology by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon. During a visit to Glasgow's Queen Street station, Mr Yousaf said he would "most certainly not" quit his post.
Ms Sturgeon said the "deeply regrettable" problem was caused by "an extraordinary set of circumstances". He was visiting some of Scotland's busiest stations to see the issues passengers using the network face.
The early-morning breakdown, which happened between Waverley station and Haymarket, affected services across the central belt. It came after Nicola Sturgeon apologised for Thursday's rail problems during First Minister's Questions.
It also caused delays to trains travelling to Inverness, Aberdeen and on the Borders Railway. She told MSPs that the option of stripping operator Abellio of the ScotRail franchise was being kept under review.
One passenger told BBC Scotland she had been on a train for more than three hours. "It's an absolute shambles, an absolute joke," she said. In an interview with BBC Radio Scotland, Mr Yousaf said the firm faced "very, very serious consequences" if performance did not improve.
Asked if he would step down, he said: "My job is to make sure the railways are running, to make sure the buses are as efficient as possible, to make sure our trunk road network is moving.
"I am committed to doing that job, as you would image I am, and I will be monitoring things absolutely closely.
"Yes of course there's an apology there for commuters that were disrupted yesterday but an assurance from ScotRail, from me, that we are monitoring things closely and I expect improvements to happen and happen immediately."
When he was again asked if he would leave his job, he said: "Most certainly not."
The disruption to the rail service on Thursday was caused by a broken down train between Haymarket and Waverly stations in Edinburgh.
It affected passengers in the central belt but it also caused delays to trains travelling to Inverness, Aberdeen and on the Borders Railway.
One traveller told BBC Scotland she had been on a train for more than three hours. "It's an absolute shambles, an absolute joke," she said.
Another said: "I was told to get off in Polmont, we just had to stand there. No-one told us what was going on. We were told there was replacement bus services but they never came."Another said: "I was told to get off in Polmont, we just had to stand there. No-one told us what was going on. We were told there was replacement bus services but they never came."
A third commuter said Haymarket station was "like a scene from a zombie movie".A third commuter said Haymarket station was "like a scene from a zombie movie".
He added: "There was a lot of unfortunate people there, not quite sure what was going on."He added: "There was a lot of unfortunate people there, not quite sure what was going on."
Mick Whelan, general secretary of the train drivers' union Aslef, said: "The Scottish government response to the rail crisis has been pathetic.
"Transport Minister Humza Yousaf has stood by while Abellio Scotrail takes Scotland's passengers and taxpayers for a ride."
He called for Mr Yousaf to be sacked and for ScotRail to be brought into public ownership.
Speaking at First Minister's Questions, Ms Sturgeon told the chamber: "I am sorry for the disruption that was caused this morning and also sorry for any disruption that any passenger faces on any day of the week. That is ScotRail's position and it is also mine."Speaking at First Minister's Questions, Ms Sturgeon told the chamber: "I am sorry for the disruption that was caused this morning and also sorry for any disruption that any passenger faces on any day of the week. That is ScotRail's position and it is also mine."
Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale had raised the issue of the train problems saying it had been "yet another shambolic day on our railways, causing misery for passengers".Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale had raised the issue of the train problems saying it had been "yet another shambolic day on our railways, causing misery for passengers".
It followed ScotRail being fined £483,000 for failing to meet required standards for trains and stations. Dutch rail operator Abellio began to operate the ScotRail franchise in April 2015.
The franchise also announced on Wednesday that it was to stop its much-criticised policy of allowing late-running trains to skip stops to improve punctuality during rush hour. Last month ScotRail was fined £483,000 for failing to meet required standards for trains and stations.
Mr Yousaf, who will be visiting stations in Glasgow during the morning rush-hour, has suggested that ScotRail could lose its contract if train performance does not improve. And government agency Transport Scotland instructed the operator to draw up a performance improvement plan after reliability dropped.
He said he would be working with ScotRail to improve the situation but options to cut their contract short were being kept open. ScotRail announced on Wednesday that it was to stop its much-criticised policy of allowing late-running trains to skip stops to improve punctuality during rush hour.
Aslef, the train drivers' union, has called for Mr Yousaf to be sacked, calling the government's response to the rail crisis "pathetic". The operator said it would learn from Thursday's events and "can never stop striving to improve".
ScotRail said it would learn from Thursday's events and "can never stop striving to improve".