Survey score triggers second ScotRail remedial plan notice

ScotRail has been hit with a second remedial plan notice by Transport Scotland, this time after it missed contractual targets relating to the National Rail Passenger Survey.

TS had already issued a remedial plan notice earlier this year, after ScotRail’s performance failed to meet performance standards in late 2018 ( RAIL 870).

The operator has now been issued with a second notice after it received a customer satisfaction score of 79% in the latest NRPS survey, against the contracted score of 88.5%.

Transport Scotland did recognise in its notice that the past year has been difficult for ScotRail, but also stated that to reach this target now would require SR to score in the high 90s in the next NRPS, which it said was unlikely.

Michael Matheson, Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity, said: “These latest NRPS results are unsurprising and clearly linked to the recent poor performance. Too often passengers have been left disappointed and this must change swiftly.

“Having already issued one remedial plan notice, it is frustrating that another follows. ScotRail recognises the reasons for this notice and the direct link between train service reliability and customer satisfaction.”

Matheson said quick action was required. This latest Remedial Plan requires ScotRail to set out its plans to implement measures to improve passenger satisfaction results, and it has 12 weeks to make its submission.

Transport Scotland said that while SR is not yet hitting its contractual targets, the last three periods have shown a slight improvement in overall performance, and that it was fully expected that both Remedial Plans would build on this.

The Remedial Notice was issued on February 8, one day after SR confirmed the third period of improvement in performance.

Some 88.4% of its trains met Public Performance Measure (PPM) on-time arrivals for Period 11 (January 6-February 2), which means the Moving Annual Average (MAA) is 87.3%. The PPM has increased from the previous figure of 84.2%.

ScotRail Alliance Operations Director David Simpson said: “We know that this continues to be a challenging time, and there are areas where we need to deliver a better service, but things are moving in the right direction.”