Yousaf grilled on ScotRail in ‘tough’ radio interview

Minister insists situation should be put ‘into perspective’

ScotRail is not providing a “poor service”, the transport minister has insisted despite key targets being missed by rail operators.

According to the operator’s own figures, Perth is the only station in Tayside and Fife which can claim to have more than two-thirds of its trains arriving on time. The statistics of shame show the numbers in Arbroath and Carnoustie are just 40%, while success figures sit at only 45.5% in Markinch.

Humza Yousaf was forced to admit commuters are not receiving an “acceptable standard” of provision in a tough radio interview focused on criticism of rail operator Abellio.

ScotRail had to produce a performance improvement plan in September, at the request of Transport Scotland, after punctuality and reliability fell below standard.

Asked on BBC Radio Scotland if passengers “will have to endure a poor service for some time to come”, Mr Yousaf said: “It’s not a poor service, let’s just put this into perspective – 89.8%, that’s almost 90 trains out of 100 are running to their contractually obligated time. That’s not to say there aren’t problems and there aren’t issues; there are.”

The SNP minister has said he wants to work with unions and other political parties to put together a public sector bid to run the railways, which could be ready for 2020 when a clause in the contract with Abellio would allow it to be broken.

He will make a statement to MSPs today, highlighting some of the 246 actions in the improvement plan.

Labour’s transport spokesman Neil Bibby said: “Weary passengers who are fed up of delayed, over-crowded and cancelled trains will be astounded by his incredible claim they are not experiencing a ‘poor service’.

“It is little wonder that the travelling public is fast losing confidence in Mr Yousaf.

“Everyone remembers when one of his predecessors, Stewart Stevenson, boasted of a ‘first-class response’ to the worst gridlock on our roads in living memory.”

Mr Stevenson resigned his post over his handling of the travel chaos caused by the extreme winter weather.

A spokesman for Mr Yousaf said: “This is a pathetic, puerile attack from the opposition who have been reduced to ridiculous levels of selective quoting and personal attacks in order to try and score cheap political points.”

A ScotRail Alliance spokesman said: “Scotland’s railway is among the most punctual in the UK at 89.8%, compared to 87.9% for operators in England and Wales. We are going through the biggest change and improvement in our railway infrastructure since the Victorian era.”