Alastair Dalton | The Scotsman

Alastair Dalton

Transport Correspondent

Alastair Dalton is a specialist news reporter and columnist for The Scotsman and Scotland on Sunday with a strong track record of breaking major Scottish transport stories and providing incisive coverage and analysis of sector issues across online and print, and as a guest on radio and television. His most recent industry honour was winning the Finance/Business Journalist of the Year runner-up award at the 2020 Scottish Press Awards. Alastair covers all aspects of travel, tourism, Scotland's railway network including ScotRail and Network Rail, as well as aviation, roads, ferries and other public transport.

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Latest Articles

The RMT includes station staff and train conductors. Picture: John Devlin

Members of ScotRail’s largest union RMT accept 5 per cent pay deal

Tram line work on the Newhaven extension in 2020 - but it was much less disruptive than the original scheme. Picture: Lisa Ferguson

Edinburgh made trams a dirty word but it's time to change that – Alastair Dalton

A tram leaving Picardy Place for Newhaven on the final day of testing on the three-mile extension on Tuesday. Picture: The Scotsman

Tram firm reveals 'monkey on shoulder' to finish extension after previous fiasco

Pentalina aground at St Margaret's Hope on April 29 Picture: RNLI/Longhope RNLI

Suspension of ferry sailings after grounding extended to six weeks

Tram line construction in Princes Street in September 2009. Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

Edinburgh Tram Inquiry: Why is it being held? What went wrong with the project?

Hull 802 under construction at the Ferguson Marine shipyard in Port Glasgow in April with sister ferry Glen Sannox afloat behind. Picture: John Devlin

Troubled shipyard Ferguson Marine hails apprenticeship applications deluge

The check-in worker said some passengers got angry if their hand baggage was ruled too big or heavy, or their travel documents were questioned. Picture: Lisa Ferguson

Airport check-in worker tells of horrific abuse by passengers

Union chiefs have demanded action over reports of violence

Airport check-in staff assaulted and abused by ‘thuggish’ passengers – GMB union

Cyclists at the Alloway railway tunnel on the route. Picture: Markus Stitz

New bike path could create ‘one of most picturesque cycling routes in the world’

ScotRail's remaining diesel fleets such as its 40-year-old Inter7City trains are due to be scrapped by 2035. Picture: SNS Group

Are SNP's other transport pledges more achievable than the A9? – Alastair Dalton

Glenlee has been moored beside the Riverside Museum since 2011. Picture: John Devlin

Historic Glasgow tall ship Glenlee may have to introduce admission charges

Hebridean Isles should have returned from annual maintenance in February. Picture: Mn28/Wikimedia Commons

CalMac ferry disruption to continue under at least end of June

A poster for the Engine Off, Every Stop campaign in London

Watch out entitled drivers, further curbs are coming - Alastair Dalton

Glasgow's low emission zone is bounded by the M8, River Clyde and High Street/Saltmarket. Picture: John Devlin

All you need to know about driving into Glasgow's new low emission zone

Civil Aviation Authority chair Sir Stephen Hillier, centre, at Edinburgh Airport with its chief executive Gordon Dewar and chair Sir John Elvidge. Picture: CAA

Future Flight: 'Cutting emissions is aviation’s greatest ever challenge'

Bike training schemes are under threat. Picture: Forth Environment Link

21 jobs threatened by Scottish Government cycling and walking funding hiatus

Waverley leaving its berth beside Glasgow Science Centre at the launch of its summer season on Friday with a cruise down the Clyde to Tighnabruaich. Picture: John Devlin

Historic paddle steamer Waverley embarks on most extensive UK tour for a decade

Systems being checked in Glen Sannox's control room beside its engine room last week. Picture: John Devlin

Inside Glen Sannox as hugely-delayed CalMac ferry nears completion

The Glen Sannox at the Ferguson Marine shipyard in Port Glasgow last week (Picture: John Devlin)

Will Glen Sannox ferry saga prove to be just an aberration? – Alastair Dalton

Hull 802, in foreground with Glen Sannox behind, last month, is due to be launched in November. Picture: John Devlin

Ferguson Marine ferry will cost more to complete than building brand new vessel

Pupils using the active travel hub at Bannockburn High School in Stirling which is awaiting funding to continue. Picture: Forth Environment Link

Uncertainty over funding to boost walking and cycling ‘completely unacceptable’

Alfred moored in Ayr harbour pending repairs last week. Picture: John Devlin

CalMac to deploy relief ferry Alfred on busy main Arran route

The autonomous service is due to be launched on Monday. Picture: The Scotsman

No hands on the wheel: Aboard Britain’s first autonomous bus service

Pentalina aground at St Margaret's Hope on April 29 (Picture: RNLI/Longhope RNLI)

Curious case of Pentland Ferries, CalMac, Alfred and Pentalina – Alastair Dalton

The driver demonstrating the bus in autonomous mode by taking his hands off the wheel while crossing the Forth Road Bridge. Picture: The Scotsman

UK's first self-driving bus service launched over Forth Road Bridge

Isle of Mull leaving Oban. Picture: CalMac

CalMac’s Mull ferry services in ‘utter chaos’ from cuts ‘strangling’ island

Warning contained in the Caledonian Railway's 1921 Vigilance Booklet. Picture: Railway Work, Life & Death project

Horrific historic death toll of Scottish teenage rail workers revealed

Alfred in Ayr harbour on Wednesday. Picture: John Devlin

New delay to CalMac deploying relief vessel Alfred from Pentland Ferries

Border Piper Sandy Mutch beside the train at Edinburgh Waverley Station. Picture: TransPennine Express

Struggling TransPennine Express names train to mark coronation as it awaits fate

UK Transport Secretary Mark Harper has promised to engage with his counterparts in the Scottish Government (Picture: Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire)

Will ‘constructive engagement’ pledge end Tory-SNP rancour over transport?

Children from Banchory Primary School in Tullibody making use of bikes from the hubs. Picture: Forth Environment Link

Closure threat to free child bike scheme over Scottish Government funding

Alfred in Ayr harbour on Wednesday. Picture: John Devlin

CalMac expected to deploy newly chartered ferry Alfred on main Arran route

UK Transport Secretary Mark Harper in a ship simulator at City of Glasgow College. Picture: Department for Transport

Cabinet minister surprised to find himself steering Glen Sannox in simulator

Pentalina aground at St Margaret's Hope on Saturday. Picture: RNLI/Longhope RNLI

Pentalina ferry grounding ‘caused by sudden mechanical failure’

A visualisation of the Desiro Verve, Siemens Mobility's concept hydrogen or battery train for use on the British rail network, shown crossing the Forth Bridge. Picture: Siemens Mobility

The hydrogen trains which could be coming to Scotland

Check-in will open at 3.30am for the earliest flights to ease congestion. Picture: Lisa Ferguson

Future Flight: Edinburgh Airport introduces earlier check-in to cut congestion

The Co Wheels car club requires members to put electric vehicles back on charge after use for the next booking (Picture: Co Wheels)

Range anxiety can be an unexpected nightmare in electric cars – Alastair Dalton

Petrel in Imperial Dock in Leith the day after the incident. Picture: Peter Summers/Getty Images

Petrel ship dry dock incident: Dramatic account from injured worker

Three people were killed in the Carmont derailment in August 2020. Picture: RAIB

New safety gear added to ageing ScotRail fleet involved in fatal Carmont crash

Queen Mary beside the Glasgow Science Centre tower this week with Waverley behind. Picture: John Devlin

Behind the scenes of Queen Mary's major restoration to sail the Clyde again

Many cyclists find riding on segregated lanes preferable to sharing roads with other traffic, like this one on Sauchiehall Street in Glasgow. Picture: The Scotsman

Best cycle routes are traffic-free but how do you find them? – Alastair Dalton

FlixBus UK managing director Andreas Schorling said an outdated view of coach travel remained. Picture: FlixBus

FlixBus announces expansion in bid to become Scotland’s biggest coach operator

Tram testing on the Newhaven extension on Wednesday. Picture: Sacyr, Farrans and Neopul

‘Ghost’ trams start daytime tests on Edinburgh city centre to Newhaven extension

The upper part of hull 802 is now visible at the Ferguson Marine yard. Picture: John Devlin

Long-delayed CalMac ferry 802 emerges into view at Ferguson Marine

The trial will see some fares halved. Picture: Jame Barlow/PA

Six-month ScotRail peak fares suspension to start in October – Humza Yousaf

ScotRail will follow other train operators in introducing an e-scooter ban. Picture: John Devlin

Electric scooters to be banned by ScotRail over fire risk