SNP ministers should use the appointment of Police Scotland’s new chief constable to scrap plans to merge railway policing, it has been claimed.

Iain Livingstone, who has been running the force since the absence and then resignation of his predecessor Phil Gormley, was formally put in charge earlier this week.

Critics said the move was the “perfect opportunity” for the Scottish Government to ditch proposals to merge British Transport Police with Police Scotland.

The plans were previously branded as “act of vandalism” in the House of Lords and have since been delayed, while the UK’s three largest rail unions have urged the SNP to rethink.

Scottish Conservative shadow justice secretary Liam Kerr said there is “concern right across the board about the prospect of this ill-judged merger”.

He said: “Iain Livingstone could use his newfound influence to ensure these plans are dropped.

“That way the SNP ministers could save face by not u-turning on their own ridiculous proposals.

“It’s illogical to take the BTP – one of Britain’s most successful policing areas – and hand over the responsibilities to a crisis-hit Police Scotland.

“Iain Livingstone will have enough challenges without these new responsibilities. This is the perfect opportunity for this merger to be scrapped altogether.”

Scottish Liberal Democrat justice spokesman Liam McArthur said: "The SNP's politically motivated merger has been deeply unpopular with officers and staff, with more than a million pounds already spent on a project for which there has never been a business case.

"Iain Livingstone has already had to press pause once, forced to tell the SNP Government that their original plan could not have gone ahead 'without compromising public safety'.

"It is time the Justice Secretary recognised that they are making the same mistakes as they did with the botched Police Scotland merger and took it off the Chief Constable's desk altogether. It is the last thing Police Scotland's new leadership team needs."

A Scottish Government spokesman said it would “protect jobs, pay and pensions for BTP officers transferring to Police Scotland”.

He added: "There is a replanning exercise currently taking place. Once that is completed, we will ensure Parliament is updated on our next steps. We will never compromise the safety of the public."