Nine out of ten rail passengers are satisfied with ScotRail
Forth Rail Bridge - image credit: registers of Scotland
Nine out of ten rail passengers are satisfied with ScotRail, according to a new survey.
The National Rail Passenger Survey found that satisfaction with ScotRail is at 90 per cent, an increase from 83 per cent since the previous survey in autumn 2016.
Just three per cent of those surveyed said they were dissatisfied with ScotRail.
RELATED CONTENT
But while the results represent the train operator’s joint highest ever satisfaction rating, the survey showed that 23 per cent of ScotRail passengers do not believe they are getting value for money, with 61 per cent satisfied with fares and 15 per cent choosing ‘don’t know’.
Alex Hynes, managing director of the ScotRail Alliance, said: “This equals our best ever result, and shows that the vast majority of our passengers are satisfied with the work ScotRail is doing to build the best railway Scotland has ever had.
“For nine out of ten ScotRail customers to be satisfied with our performance at a time when we are delivering one of the biggest upgrades to our network since Victorian times is down to the hard work of our dedicated staff at the ScotRail Alliance, a partnership between Abellio ScotRail and Network Rail.
“These results are really encouraging, but we aren’t complacent. The major investment we are making now will mean faster journeys, more seats and better services for our customers.”
SNP MSP Gordon MacDonald said: “This surge in passenger satisfaction is testament to the hard work of our rail staff – as well as a successful Performance Improvement Plan led by the Scottish Government.
“Recently it felt like you couldn’t get on a train without an opposition MSP grabbing a megaphone and telling you how bad it was.
“Now we know that passenger satisfaction in Scotland is much higher than in the rest of the UK, where the Tories and Labour are responsible.
“I hope now that the opposition will join us in acknowledging the strong performance of staff on our railways.”
Scottish Labour’s transport spokesperson Neil Bibby said: “It’s good to see overall passenger satisfaction increasing after falling to a record 14-year low last autumn. Railway workers should be thanked for their hard work and perseverance in what has been a difficult year for ScotRail. However, passengers will still want to see continued action to tackle overcrowding and improve ScotRail services.
“This survey also shows that nearly 40 per cent of passengers do not believe fares represent value for money. That is why Scottish Labour called for a fare freeze in 2017 and will continue to demand more affordable rail travel.
“Scottish Labour will continue to work with rail unions and stand up for Scotland’s passengers. We will keep up the pressure on ScotRail and the SNP Government to meet the needs of Scotland’s passengers in the months ahead.”
ScotRail said the survey showed it is the joint eighth best performing train operator in the UK, out of a total of 26.
John Finnie, the Scottish Greens’ transport spokesperson, said: “Undoubtedly there has been an improvement in rail passenger satisfaction, but the challenge for ScotRail and the Scottish Government is to ensure that these results become the norm and prove that this survey wasn’t a fluke.
“Green MSPs will continue to campaign to bring railways back into public hands at the earliest opportunity because it gives us a better chance to reduce fares, improve links with other transport and ensure that the service is fully accessible to all.”
Overall 1,243 people took part in the section of the survey on ScotRail.
Holyrood Newsletters
Holyrood provides comprehensive coverage of Scottish politics, offering award-winning reporting and analysis: Subscribe