A FIFE MSP has called for a "clear guarantee" that rail services in the Kingdom will not be affected after a union expressed concerns that cuts could be made across Scotland's railways.

The RMT this week revealed that a report written by former non-executive director of ScotRail and Transport Scotland, Professor Iain Docherty, advocated service cuts, ticket office closures and job losses across Scotland’s rail network.

It said the report questioned whether ‘the provision of ticket offices is viable in the future’, exposing an attempt to justify attacks on ticket offices which could mean the closure of up to 140 ticket offices across Scotland.

Mid Scotland and Fife MSP Alex Rowley has called for answers over the report.

"If true then there is a real threat to many of the rail services currently provided in Fife," he said.

"I have written to the Transport Minister asking that he clarify whether the SNP government has had anything to do with commissioning or supporting this report and for them to give a clear guarantee that no ticket offices or other services within Fife will be cut, in other words to distance itself from this report.

"We need to see investment into the Fife Circle, better trains and a clear plan to decarbonises the lines. We do not need station closures and staff cuts as this report outlines and hence the government must make clear they do not support this."

RMT General Secretary Mick Lynch said the report was "a blatant attempt" to further a cuts agenda which would be "devastating" for Scotland’s railway.

He added: “On the one hand the report rightly acknowledges that Scotland’s rail network has a central role to play in meeting climate change targets, yet it goes on to advocate service cuts, ticket office closures and job losses."

Transport Scotland said both they and the Scottish Government had no involvement in the report, while ScotRail say the report is not a formal proposal but contains recommendations on the future of the railway post-pandemic.

A Transport Scotland spokesman said: "Transport Scotland is pressing ahead to put in place arrangements to mobilise a wholly owned company of the Scottish Government to provide ScotRail services when the current franchise expires as expected on 31 March 2022.

“Permission from the Scottish Government was not required by Abellio to commission this report and Scottish Government and Transport Scotland officials did not hold any discussions with Professor Docherty in relation to his report.

“Transport Scotland, as part of the Rail Recovery Task Force, uses Transport Focus’s passenger pulse research to identify the changing priorities and requirements of rail passengers during and post Covid-19 which also provides a platform to assess the scale and pace of recovery from Covid 19 and, in particular, the potential to move towards our policy vision of an integrated public sector controlled railway.”

A Scotrail spokesman said: "We are seeing a gradual increase in the number of customers returning to the railway due to the easing of travel restrictions and coronavirus controls, but with passenger numbers at only 50 per cent of the pre-covid level, this is not the time to put that recovery in jeopardy.

“Railway jobs are being put at risk by the reckless actions of the RMT and we are urging union bosses to call off divisive strikes and false narratives.”