Angus stations plagued by lateness

More than 60% of trains are failing to arrive on time in Arbroath and Carnoustie.

North East region Scottish Conservative MSP Bill Bowman said things keep getting worse.

The percentage of trains stopping on time in Arbroath was, on average, 39.7% in the four months from November to March. The figure for Carnoustie over the same period was 39%.

Mr Bowman said: “The issue of trains stopping at Arbroath on time is raised frequently, but it keeps on getting worse.

“More than 60% of trains arrive late, and Carnoustie is faltering at 61% over the last three months. Arbroath commuters often complain of stop-skipping, where late-running services barrel through to get to Aberdeen.

“I urge Scotrail and Transport Scotland to buck up the service, without resorting to stop skipping.”

Angus South SNP MSP Graeme Dey said he did secure undertakings from Scotrail around the practice of stop skipping and train capacity for major sporting events, both of which he raised directly with the company’s managing director Alex Hynes.

He said: “Missing stops is acceptable only in exceptional circumstances and Scotrail acknowledged this.

“They are working to reduce the scale of such occurrences in Angus and elsewhere.

“As regards sufficient capacity for the likes of rugby and football internationals, the upcoming 25% increase in available rolling stock provides an opportunity to ensure trains journeying through Angus to the likes of Glasgow and Edinburgh are of a length that travellers can secure seats.

“I am well aware of the uncomfortable journeys that some of my constituents have endured recently travelling to and from rugby matches at Murrayfield.”

The firm has clocked up £3 million in financial penalties over the first nine months of this financial year for its failings, double the financial penalties imposed for the whole of the previous year.

Figures for Arbroath railway station show on average, only 39.7% of trains in a fourmonth period ran on time.