Exclusive:ScotRail driver arrested after failing breath test at Glasgow Queen Street station

British Transport Police continuing enquires after man found to be over alcohol limit

A ScotRail driver has been arrested after failing a breath test at one of Scotland’s busiest stations, The Scotsman has learned.

British Transport Police said the driver was found to be over the legal alcohol limit at Queen Street station in Glasgow.

He was arrested after the breath test at 10.20pm on Tuesday, October 17.

Glasgow Queen Street is ScotRail's third busiest station after Glasgow Central and Edinburgh Waverley. (Photo by John Devlin/TheScotsman)

An unconfirmed report from a rail industry source said the driver had reset a safety system without authorisation while driving a train, which alerted controllers.

A British Transport Police spokesperson said: “Officers received a report of a train driver who had blown over the legal alcohol limit at Glasgow Queen Street at 10.20pm on 17 October.

"Officers attended and he was arrested and taken to police custody. He has been released while enquiries continue.”

The spokesperson said the man had not been charged pending ongoing enquiries.

A ScotRail spokesperson said: “We wouldn’t comment on any individuals.”

Kevin Lindsay, Scotland district secretary of the main train drivers’ union Aslef, said: “Sorry I can’t comment.”

The alcohol limit is lower for train drivers than for motorists.

Trains from Queen Street serve the 100mph main line to Edinburgh and routes such as to Aberdeen, Inverness, Mallaig, Balloch, Milngavie and Alloa.

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Cases of ScotRail drivers failing drink and drug tests are rare, but they include a driver testing positive for drugs after his train was derailed by a suspected signalling fault in Stonehaven in 2018. He resigned the day before a disciplinary hearing.

In 2016, another ScotRail driver was found to be nearly nine times over the limit when he was tested prior to driving a train between Edinburgh and Glasgow. The 54-year-old was sentenced to a 12-month supervision order and 200 hours of unpaid work.

The incident came six years after a ScotRail driver was jailed for more than four months after he had drank a bottle of whisky while on duty.

The 33-year-old was caught after driving trains in and out of Queen Street station for six hours.

He was arrested after a ScotRail manager noticed him stumbling out of the staff locker room at the station as he headed for his next train.