Rail improvement call after Ardrossan trains found to be worst performing

Rail services to Ardrossan harbour must see dramatic improvements, a local MSP has said, after new figures showed it was the worst performing of 73 stations being monitored by the ScotRail Alliance.

Recent figures show that only a quarter of all trains arriving in Ardrossan harbour were on time. The West Scotland MSP Jamie Greene, who is also the Conservative shadow transport minister, said that he would be raising the issue of delayed trains with ScotRail and the Scottish Government when he meets them later in the summer.

Mr Greene said: ‘Ardrossan folk will know only too well that services into Ardrossan harbour fall below what we expect. The fact that just a quarter of trains arrive on time shows just how serious this problem is. Men and women rely on this service every day, whether it’s commuting to work or visiting friends and family in other parts of the country. They deserve a reliable train service to let them get on with their dayto-day affairs.

‘As it stands, these figures show that Ardrossan Harbour is the highest underperforming route in Scotland and it simply isn’t good enough. I’ll be raising the issue of late trains when I next meet ScotRail and the Scottish Government, and will demand immediate improvements.’

The top three underperforming routes were Ardrossan harbour, with 24.5 per cent arriving on time, Milngavie with 25.6 per cent, and Largs, with 33.1 per cent.

Perry Ramsey, operations director at the ScotRail Alliance, said: ‘The most recent figures show that last week 95 per cent of trains across Scotland were on time. That’s the best performance since April 2015, which shows that the ScotRail Alliance continues to deliver for passengers all across the country.

‘But there is no complacency here. We know that any delays can be frustrating for passengers, and that’s why we will continue to work hard every single day building the best railway Scotland has ever had. The investment we are making just now will ultimately mean faster trains, more seats and better services.’