ScotRail hit by £576k fines in its final year

SCOTLAND’S rail operator has been fined more than £500,000 over dirty toilets, poor passenger i nformation and seating standards.

Under Transport Scotland’s service quality incentive regime (Squire), ScotRail is penalised when it fails to achieve certain benchmarks.

In the 12-month period to the end of its franchise in April, First ScotRail was handed fines totalling £576,000.

That was £127,000 more than penalties for the previous year. ScotRail can also win bonuses for good performances.

The report covers the performance of the franchise held by FirstGroup from April 1 last year until ScotRail operations were taken over by Abellio on March 31 this year.

It found that stations were deemed below target in such categories as littering, timetables and the standards of toilets.

There was also an increase in the number of fines imposed for train cleanliness and graffiti.

Transport Minister Derek Mackay said: ‘I am confident that the system of penalties and rewards which are awarded through Squire is very effective at driving up the standard of Scotland’s railways.’

A FirstGroup spokesman said: ‘In 11 years of operation, First ScotRail invested more than £ 82million i n Scotland’s railways.

‘Customer satisfaction was at 87 per cent in the spring 2015 National Rail Passenger Survey – seven points higher than the UK average and five points higher than when we took over the franchise.’