IF bad news travels fast, chances are it is not going by ScotRail. The bad news just in is that the train operator spent nearly £600,000 to recompense passengers beset by delays or poor quality service between April and December last year.
The majority of the payments – £340,000 – were for delayed trains. In December alone, nearly £100,000 was handed out to more than 9,000 recipients.
It would be hard to see this as a sensible use of resources. ScotRail can supply some context, pointing to upgrading work that might get us there faster in future. Indeed, in April 2015, when it took over ScotRail, Dutch firm Abellio promised faster journeys.
But these have been slow in coming and, on paper, Abellio still has time to take the scenic route, since the franchise is not up for grabs again until 2025.
Recently, the Scottish Government has made impatient sounding noises about invoking a “break point” in 2020 to cancel the contract. But, until that half-time comes, our rail services will continue to be booted about like a political football. Railways, by their very nature, will probably always suffer delays.
But the feeling is that these have gone too far and, in securing figures through Freedom of Information to back up the general air of grievance, the Scottish Conservatives have scored a well-worked goal against Transport Minister Humza Yousaf.
The Scottish Government will not be happy – at ScotRail as much as the Tories. Like many industry observers, it will be hoping that new ScotRail Alliance managing director Alex Hynes can inject a greater sense of purpose that puts passengers first.
Indeed, he is said to be more “about passengers not rivets” and has a good track record, most latterly with Arriva Rail North in England, where he achieved unprecedented ratings for customer satisfaction.
To the Scottish Government, such is the stuff that dreams are made on.
We trust Mr Hynes knows what a political nightmare railways can be in Scotland, and wish him well in putting his shoulder to the wheels.
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