Jackie Baillie MSP has highlighted failings with the train network as new figures show that customer satisfaction with ScotRail remains below target. The Annual Passenger Survey shows that the overall satisfaction rate for the train operator is 82 per cent – well below the franchise target of 88.5 per cent.

The survey shows that fewer than half of passengers – 39 per cent – were satisfied with how ScotRail dealt with delays, whilst just 53 per cent feel that they are getting value for money.

In addition, new figures show that refunds handed out to passengers due to severe delays or cancellations have soared by more than 500 per cent. Passengers can claim some or all of their fare back through the rail operator’s Delay Repay Scheme if they are delayed by 30 minutes or more.

In the 2018/19 reporting period, ScotRail received 149,742 claims from let down passengers. Compared to the first year of the franchise in 2015/16, the number of claims has risen by 526 per cent.

Jackie said:

“It comes as no surprise that customer satisfaction with ScotRail is poor, passengers have experienced months of problems on our train line.

“In my own constituency, passengers have experienced regular delays, cancellations, overcrowded and short formed trains meaning that people are regularly missing work, college and university and even hospital appointments.

“These survey findings are yet more evidence that Abellio remain in breach of the franchise agreement having never met its targets since it was awarded.

“Passengers are being expected to continue paying for a service which fails them.

“The Scottish Government is running out of time to decide whether to extend Abellio’s contract – it’s time they stopped rewarding failure.”