FIRST ScotRail yesterday said a 10 per cent cut in delays last month on a year ago was proof it was getting back on track after six months in charge of the country’s railways.
The operator recorded its best performance figures so far after punctuality slumped initially last autumn. A total of 86.5 per cent of trains ran on time last month, as "significant improvements" were claimed for most areas of Scotland.
The offic
ial passenger watchdog body praised the progress but said more was required. Mike Lunan, the convener of the Rail Passengers Committee Scotland, said: "Things are a lot better than we had expected. The First ScotRail management have demonstrated the ability to grasp problems with perhaps a greater sense of urgency than their predecessors.
"Passengers are still being inconvenienced and delayed, and we would like to see continued improvements."
Among the most improved routes were commuter lines into Edinburgh from Bathgate, Dunblane, Fife, Newcraighall and North Berwick. Punctuality on the routes, which are First ScotRail’s worst performers, was nearly 4 per cent better than in February but nearly 4 per cent worse than a year ago, with 79 per cent of trains within five minutes of schedule.
First said this was "cause for confidence", but there was "no room for complacency" because the group of lines "represents one of the biggest performance challenges".
Trains on the main Edinburgh-Glasgow line were 3 per cent better than February and marginally up on last year at 93.4 per cent on time. Punctuality on that route is measured as within ten minutes of time.
Overall, punctuality improved by 1 per cent on February, but was 1 per cent down on last year.
First is responsible for some 40 per cent of all delays to its trains, with Network Rail, which runs tracks and signals, accounting for 50 per cent, and other train operators the remaining 10 per cent.
Both firms said the figures represented the second consecutive improvement on last year - "an excellent foundation to begin the new [financial] year".
First said performance had suffered because of vandalism near Uddingston in Lanarkshire, in which two miles of overhead power lines were brought down, causing 40 hours of delays.
The operator has also been hit by delays caused by freight trains, and restrictions on the Inverness-Wick/Thurso line.
It hopes performance will be improved by timetables on the route being lengthened by several minutes in June.
Meanwhile, First ScotRail was forced to defend its safety record yesterday after a senior official told staff that the firm was the worst-performing UK train operator for running through red lights.
The comment was made in an internal memo following nine cases of signals passed at danger (SPADs) this year. First said it ran more services than any other operator and its SPAD rate was well below average.
A spokeswoman added that five of the incidents had involved empty trains.
The full article contains 528 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
