So it looks like Scot Rail have also drunk the Koolaid...

[Destinysdaughter]

Just saw this on Twitter and it would seem that the sleeper train to Scotland allows, in single sex overnight cabins, pp to share with pp who self identify with that gender. As shown here. FFS. I don't think I'd feel comfortable with this at all and it's yet another example of women's spaces being erased.

I'm beginning to think that the organisations that have this attitude are run by people with IQs lower than their shoe size.

The practical outcome of being stupid is actually potentially more dangerous than being on the so-called right side of history.

The sleeper cabins are so tiny I doubt any solo traveller actually books a shared one.I would not want to share with a female stanger.

I used to use them quite often and always booked them for single occupancy. Even when travelling with my husband we booked one each, not shared.

Surely that depends on being able to afford to do that, Lass? Not everyone will be able to do so.

I thought they’d recently changed the sleeper so sharing with a stranger isn’t possible. There was an outcry as it makes it unaffordable for many now.

I’ve shared one (years ago), people definitely do share. Would not now though. They are TINY, it’s a bunk bed and a sink, how can they think every woman would be happy getting changed next to someone who looked male no matter how they “identified”?

Fortunately whenever I get one it's with small DS but contrary to Lass's claim people do share (among my rellies who live scattered between the north of Scotland and London) because to get single occupancy you have to pay for a first class ticket.

Ah sorry. You can share (they backed down) but only till October. www.scotsman.com/news/transport/caledonian-sleeper-postpones-ban-on-strangers-cabin-sharing-1-4680565

Absolutely people do book shared cabins, just like people do book standard class rail tickets! Let them eat cake, indeed.

Not the train company managers nor our politicians, mind.

Caledonian Sleeper are active on twitter as CalSleeper, if any brave person would like to take it up with them. (I need a twitter account that isn't in my real name and connected to all my colleagues, given what a coward I seem to be on this.)

Surely that depends on being able to afford to do that, Lass? Not everyone will be able to do so

If I couldn't afford to book the single sleeper I woud simply book a seat in the general carriages.The thought of sharing the sleeper cabin with any stranger is a non- starter.

I would be surprised if the Scotrail sleepers are not overwhelmingly booked as First Class single occupancy.

Most people I know who travel on it book the 2nd-class (shared) and cross their fingers they won’t be sharing. You get it to yourself anyway about half the time, but definitely share a fair bit too.

The seats are absolute hell.

I’ve shared. It was fine, was sharing with a lovely woman and we were sleeping or resting most of the time so you’re in a bunk and it feels quite private. I certainly wouldn’t want to share with a man though.

Huh. Want to bet it was the trans issue that led them to want to ban stranger sharing?

It's admittedly not that clear what else they could do, given that both the alternatives:

• it's a same sex service ("Yes ma'am, this person with a low voice and a beard who introduced himself as John is the same sex as you")

• trans people are required to pay for a first class ticket ("transphobia! Illegal discrimination!")

are very practical.

Oh for crying out loud

Fools

Each to their own but the thought of sharing a Scotrail sleeper with a woman I don't know is no more appealing than sharing it with a man I don't know.

I wonder if they actually mean same sex

but if you book on your own you may have to share with someone of the same sex

www.sleeper.scot/on-board/accommodation

My guess is they're saying gender to seem more polite, and probably haven't thought it through.

RTFOP!

Cal Sleeper say it's done "on the basis of the gender that the individual self-identifies with", Marge.

Not all of us can afford to travel first class. And I don’t mind sharing sleeping accommodation with female strangers (I also stay in youth hostel dorms occasionally, but only single sex ones). I couldn’t sleep if there was a strange man in the room, though.

(my last but one post should obviously have said that neither of the alternatives was practical - wasn't aiming for half-baked sarcasm!)

I've also shared while travelling for work, because they had a policy of not paying for first-class travel even on the sleeper. Previous employer so maybe this self-ID policy was not in place then?

Marge

Look at the OP's second letter.

Surely Equality Act would allow for them to have a single-sex policy here?

I use the sleeper frequently and thankfully can now afford to go First, when I did go second I always had to share with a stranger. Standard always looks pretty full so i imagine plenty of sharing still happening.

How does a company get insurance for a practice which puts its female passengers at wholly avoidable risk?

Surely Equality Act would allow for them to have a single-sex policy here?

Seems to me this is exactly the place the single-sex exemption should be used.