A lot of the problems in Scotland have been caused by the SG & TS, rather than despite their best efforts. Perhaps that's why people are sceptical that more control would result in an improvement...
Which bad things do you think are caused by SG or TS?
If I was doing a scorecard of Rail issues in Scotland at the moment I'd rank it something like this:
Scotrail Franchise specification (TS) - Good. TS specified it well and if it is delivered it will be very positive.
SQUIRE (TS) - Excellent. A TS innovation that I really think makes a difference compared to English Franchises.
Smart Ticketing (TS) - Quite Poor. Within SG and TS powers and not yet delivered as much as it could be.
Electrification Strategy (TS) - Good. The rolling programme is an excellent idea and gives some certainty of future demand for sub contractors and specialists
Delivery of Electrification (NR) - OK. Doing better than projects like GW but still some issues with costs and quality of work by subcontractors / suppliers.
Loss of Rolling Stock from previous franchise (??) - Very poor. Allowing Southern to get the out of contract 170s was a big mistake. Unclear exactly how they ended up out of contract but probably at least a TS failing not to secure them for new franchise.
Scotrail performance (Abellio) - OK. Teething troubles and Stock / staff availability issues but the criticism seemed overdone to me and looks to be an improving picture over last year.
Infrastructure Performance (NR) - OK. Some high profile failures but again overall the Network Rail Scotland performance seems reasonable and is going in the right direction.
New 385s (Abellio) - Good. Seem to be on target and look to be a decent train.
Refurbished HSTs (Abellio) - Good. TS deserve credit for specifying higher quality for Intercity routes and Abellio deserve credit for an innovative bid. Negative comments here seem mainly to be about length and cycle provision but both of those look to be relatively easy to resolve if they turn out to be a problem.
Station reopening (TS, councils) - OK. Councils need to part fund, or secure developer contributions. For projects of this scale that seems reasonable to me and within the control of councils. Station reopenings are happening where justified, although still difficult to make them happen.
Line reopening - delivering approved schemes (TS) - OK. TS have done a good job of taking over Borders Rail and driving it through despite political and financial temptations to drop it. We also now forget issues such as the low quality job done on Stirling - Alloa by Clacks and TIE. TS have been better at ensuring quality.
Line reopening - new schemes (SG) - Poor. There is a gap between strategic national projects (High speed, Halbeath - Inverkeithing etc) and small scale station reopenings. For medium size schemes like Levenmouth they are too big for councils to fund, but SG refuse to fund as not nationally strategic. Hawick, Penicuik, Levenmouth, Grangemouth, Banchory, Bridge of Weir, Ellon, Alloa - Dunfermline, GARL all have potential but none (except the ridiculous GARL tram train) currently have any funding. A scheme like Scottish Stations Fund that would provide councils with a match funding source to bid for and more support for STAG assessments of these reopenings would be of immense value.
Specification of enhancements (TS) - Good. Seems to me the right sort of projects are in the CP6 and CP7 delivery plans. Will they happen though?
Delivery of enhancements (NR) - Poor. Lack of cost control and also insufficient work done in advance to establish the required works. Aberdeen - Inverness for example is way over budget, though a large proportion of that seems to be because more is actually being delivered in a Total Route Modernisation way which may be better value in the long term.
High Speed Rail (TS) - Excellent. Extension of HSR to Scotland was not on the UK government agenda at all and TS have really driven it forward with high level political support from SNP ministers despite it not fitting well with a separatist agenda.
Major enhancement schemes (TS) - Good ideas but lacking delivery. Inverkeithing - Halbeath is a great scheme but hasn't really advanced in 5 years. Extension from Halbeath to Bridge of Earn would be even better but doesn't seem to have political support yet. Would really like to see development of the longer version of this scheme progress in next 5 years. Cross Glasgow tunnel to relive Glasgow Central is another scheme that really needs to move up the agenda.
So overall my scorecard for rail in Scotland is middling. Performance by Scotrail, Network Rail and Transport Scotland is reasonable. Scottish Government has been reasonably supportive of rail schemes but perhaps less keen to sign up to major new rail schemes compared to more eye catching road commitments like A9 and A96 dualling where major expenditure and a long term plan has been put in place.
I'd like to see some political buy in to some major new rail schemes even if the delivery horizon needs to be 10-15 years. Set out the long term strategy and then deliver it.