Rail bosses on track with plan to reduce the need for stop skipping

Scotrail has pledged it is taking action to reduce the need for stop skipping – missing out scheduled stops in order to make up time for late-running trains.

The company made the commitment following a query from SNP MSP Graeme Dey.

He raised the issue after hearing concerns from rail travellers in his Angus South constituency.

Mr Dey was advised that 170 scheduled stops out of 22,370 for Arbroath had been skipped in the last 12 months, along with 97 out of 11,685 for Carnoustie and 32 out of 2,398 for Monifieth.

He welcomed the pledge that the company was looking at measures to reduce frustrations for passengers at stations across Scotland.

“While I appreciate that in truly exceptional circumstances, ScotRail may have to cancel stops, this is I feel taking place too often,” he said.

“Stop skipping is extremely inconvenient and should be minimised as much as possible.

“I am pleased that ScotRail is reviewing its performance levels and that this will include the use of this practice.”

ScotRail said stops were only removed to get services back on track when late running had occurred.

A failure to intervene can result in delays for other ontime trains, it said, and this can cause disruption to spread across the network and subsequently inconvenience even more customers.

The rail operator assured Mr Dey it was reviewing its overall performance and was working on a plan to make improvements, which will include the issue of stop skipping.