Constituency MSP, Jackie Baillie, has called on the Scottish Government to get ScotRail back on track after the train company plunged to its lowest performance level under the SNP.

The official figures follow months of delays, cancellations and short-formed trains on Scotland’s railways. With passengers travelling to and from Dumbarton, Balloch and Helensburgh continuing to be affected.

The key statistics from the Office of Road and Rail show that the company has the worst public performance measure (PPM) moving annual average since 2006/07; the worst third quarter PPM since 2010/11; PPM failures caused by ScotRail up 6 per cent year-on-year and PPM failures due to train crew up 147% year-on-year.

While train passengers on some routes across the country have been additionally compensated by ScotRail for the failures in recent months, the train company has refused to extend this scheme to passengers in Dumbarton, Balloch and Helensburgh stating that the excessive problems in this area weren’t caused by train crew shortages.

Jackie said:

“For months we have heard stories of passengers experiencing constant delays and cancellations, and being squashed into carriages on trains that are short-formed.

“And it is hard pressed passengers who are paying the price for this SNP Government’s failure to run our railways properly, with a price increase green lighted by the SNP despite the train company consistently failing to meet targets.

“Many of my own constituents have been late for work, university and college and even hospital appointments due to the problems on the train network.

“It is time that the SNP backed Labour’s plan to bring our railways back into public ownership.”