RAIL workers’ unions welcomed yesterday’s announcement that the Abellio ScotRail contract will come to an early end, renewing calls for public ownership.

SNP transport secretary Michael Matheson told Holyrood that the tenure for the franchise running Scotland’s rail services will come to an end in March 2022 instead of continuing until 2025.

The railway firm has been criticised for overcrowding and rising ticket prices.

RMT general secretary Mick Cash called the announcement “a significant development.”

He said: “It is clear from ScotRail’s performance to date that it has failed to deliver an acceptable rail service for Scotland.

“What is needed now is a firm assurance from the Scottish government that it is committed to running Scotland’s railway in the public sector.”

Mr Cash met with Mr Matheson yesterday to ensure that the protection of all ScotRail employees’ jobs and conditions “will be high on the agenda.”

Scotland Aslef organiser Kevin Lindsay said the union is “delighted” by the decision and welcomed the opportunity for a public service provider to bid to run the franchise in two years’ time.

He said: “We are disappointed that the SNP government has not grasped the real problem — and the solution to that problem — and simply taken this opportunity to bring Scotland’s railway back into public ownership.

“The truth is that the franchise model is a broken business model. It hasn’t worked, it doesn’t work and it will not work. Everyone on the railway understands that.”

Scottish Labour’s transport spokesman Colin Smyth and his Scottish Greens counterpart John Finnie also welcomed the announcement.

Mr Smyth said: “We are glad that the SNP have finally swallowed their pride and listened to what Scottish Labour has been calling for.

“What we now must know is if the Scottish government intends to make a serious public-sector bid for control of ScotRail or whether our railways will be flogged off once more to a foreign-based private company, focused only on profit.

“Nothing less than a publicly owned rail system will do to ensure that the people of Scotland can have the cheap, efficient and reliable public transport they deserve.”

Mr Finnie said: “The Scottish government must now ensure that a robust public-sector bid is in place so that our railways can be run in the public interest in future, rather than for private profit as now.”

Abellio UK managing director Dominic Booth said the decision would create “unnecessary uncertainty” for its passengers and staff.