4 September 2019

ScotRail are set to default on their rail franchise after a remedial plan on Customer satisfaction projects that they will fail to hit their target for the second year running.

ScotRail were issued with a Remedial Plan notice after Passenger Satisfaction plummeted last year to its lowest level since 2002.

The Plan - which came before the Scottish Parliament’s Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee today when members questioned Scotland’s Railway Managing Director Alex Hynes- predicts that passenger satisfaction for this year will be 84%, well below target.

The franchise agreement between Abellio and Transport Scotland states that missing this target for two consecutive years is an “Event of Default”, and is grounds to be stripped of the franchise.

The plan also confirms that Transport Scotland have again lowered the franchise target, moving it from 88.5% to 87.5%. Transport Scotland have previously lowered the target for 2016/17 and 2017/18 to avoid a breach occurring. ScotRail have not hit the original franchise target of 88.5% since the first year of the franchise, and according to the Remedial Plans projections to not expect to for at least another two years.

Scottish Labour Transport spokesperson Colin Smyth said:

“Despite Transport Scotland’s best efforts to fiddle the figures to save ScotRail from failure, they are still set to default on their franchise.

Customers are clearly sick and tired of ScotRail’s shambolic performance, but instead of standing up for them and ending the franchise the SNP Government are doing everything they can to save it – including signing off on a plan that includes a default on the franchise.”

“The solutions set out in this remedial plan are far too little, far too late.”

“Satisfaction has plummeted because passengers are sick and tired of rising ticket prices simply to face more cancellations, delays and and overcrowding. But the actions of Transport Scotland show it doesn’t matter what ScotRail do , the SNP Government will just keep bailing out this failing franchise."