NICOLA Sturgeon has warned ScotRail it is in “the last chance saloon” following its recent performance.

The First Minister said the Dutch-owned Abellio, which has held the 10-year franchise to run most of the country’s trains since 2015, could be stripped of the deal if it fails to improve.

Dozens of Borders Railway passengers were left stranded in the capital last Sunday evening after five of the scheduled seven trains to Tweedbank were cancelled.

And commuters faced further disruption throughout the week – due to signalling problems and staff shortages.

At First Minister's Questions on Thursday, Borders MSP Christine Grahame asked Ms Sturgeon whether, in light of “travel chaos” on the line, she considered the ScotRail franchise continued to be “sustainable”.

Ms Sturgeon said she was disappointed passengers faced an “unacceptable” number of cancellations due to staff training, and said ScotRail was working on a remedial plan.

Ms Grahame told her the cancellations had continued since Sunday.

She said: “The plan might be delivered. But that doesn’t deliver trains. Plans don’t drive trains. Isn’t it time that the Scottish Government told ScotRail-Abellio it’s in the last chance saloon? I certainly think so, and so do my constituents.”

The question was greeted with applause from Labour MSPs who want Abellio to be stripped of the ScotRail franchise.

Ms Sturgeon said: “ScotRail should treat a remedial plan very much as a last chance saloon. That’s the very nature of it. ScotRail has been left in doubt that its recent levels of performance, particularly in the Borders and Fife have been completely unacceptable.

“We’ve used contractual mechanisms contained with the franchise agreement to require the remedial plan, and ScotRail will publish its performance remedial plan on its website shortly.

“The commitments in the plan have been contracted as a remedial agreement. In the event ScotRail does not achieve improved performance or fails to deliver on its contractual commitments, it does of course run the risk of having the franchise terminated early.”

Tory MSP Rachael Hamilton, who represents Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, read a letter from a constituent who said they were “genuinely surprised” when the Borders service was on time, and problems caused “significant stress and anxiety because of lateness at work” and fines for collecting their child from nursery.

She said hundreds of commuters were “experiencing transport hell” and urged Ms Sturgeon to intervene and personally oversee the remedial plan.

However, Ms Sturgeon made it clear she would not intervene.

She said: “The transport secretary will oversee that, because it is part of his responsibilities. However, as First Minister, I, too, will obviously retain a very close interest in the matter.”

A ScotRail spokesperson said: “Everyone at ScotRail is working flat out to deliver the quality of service that our customers expect and deserve.

“Our most recent period of performance is also very encouraging and shows that the investment we are making in Scotland’s Railway is delivering significant improvements.

“We know there are still areas where we need to improve and we will work closely with Transport Scotland to deliver those improvements.”