The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
‘ScotFail’ claim as survey says some commuters find travelling stressful
Rail firm rated poorly in a number of categories
One in four ScotRail commuters find travelling “frequently stressful”, according to consumer body Which?
Its latest rail survey also suggested nearly 18% had missed out on time with family and friends, while a 10th of passengers faced additional childcare costs because of train delays.
ScotRail was rated poorly in a number of categories, with commuters giving just two stars out of five for punctuality, reliability, toilet facilities and value for money.
Customer service and condition of carriages were both marked three stars.
It puts the operator 23rd out of the UK’s 30 train companies with a customer score of 45% – down from 51% last year.
Alex Hayman, Which? managing director of public markets, said: “It’s clear that ScotRail passengers aren’t at all happy with the service they’re receiving on a daily basis.
“If faith in the company is to be restored, it must listen to passengers who have too often been an afterthought.
“ScotRail’s improvement plan must deliver results that work for passengers and address the chronic issues identified in our survey.”
Scottish Labour’s transport spokesman Colin Smyth called for a reduction in fares as a result of the report.
He said: “It really is a case of ‘ScotFail’ in the eyes of Scotland’s hard-pressed passengers. The SNP should use the current budget process to deliver a fare cut for passengers and back Labour’s call for public ownership of our railways so we have a transport system that works for the many.”
Scottish Conservative transport spokesman Jamie Greene said: “This will make for entirely predictable and depressing reading for ScotRail and commuters alike.
“Strict targets on performance and punctuality should be properly adhered to and enforced.”
A Transport Scotland spokesman said: “ScotRail’s performance, in terms of cancellations and reliability, over the last 12 months hasn’t been good enough – that’s undeniable and why we took the serious contractual step of issuing a remedial plan notice, and we now expect to see improvements.
“Rail performance across the United Kingdom has not been good. While the Scottish Government’s unprecedented levels of investment shows our commitment to Scotland’s railways, we are constrained in the options we can consider for delivering services by the current UK legislation, which we have no powers to change.
“On average, fares are already 20% lower in Scotland than the rest of the UK and the Scottish Government fund twothirds of the running costs.”
There is little to find in the latest report into Scotland’s train services which is genuinely surprising. The survey of rail passengers by consumer watchdog Which? highlighted delayed journeys, additional costs incurred and rising stress levels in carriages and platforms.
The tales of woe on the tracks have steadily increased. Analysis of ScotRail’s Twitter output since the start of the year showed nearly a quarter of messages contained an expression of apology – hardly scientific but telling, nonetheless.
Punctuality, reliability, toilet facilities and value for money failed to impress.
There seems little the beleaguered operator can do about it.
Attempts to introduce new stock and timetables quickly hit the buffers and, adding insult to injury, fares were increased at the start of the year.
It is a metaphorical train wreck and no amount of apologies can make up for the time and money lost to those still loyal – by choice or necessity – to rail.
Calls for leadership cannot go unheeded.
Fines and the threat of contract withdrawal from Abellio must have requisite impact.
Modern Scotland, desperate to boost business and meet climate change targets, needs a fit-for-purpose rail network, and quickly.