The service that passengers receive on ScotRail has improved by 30% over the previous year.
The Service Quality Incentive Regime (SQUIRE) report, released by Transport Scotland, has shown that the service on ScotRail trains and at stations has improved significantly between July and September compared with the same period the previous year.
With continued investments in ticket buying facilities, station environments and front-line staff, this has caused a 28 per cent year-on-year reduction in contributions to the SQUIRE fund, from £982,056 during July to September 2018 to £707,575, (excluding RPI) in the same period in 2019.
Customers have seen improvements in ticketing facilities at stations, with the availability of self-service ticket machines at 94 per cent – an increase of 12 per cent compared to the same period last year. ScotRail is also trialling new on-train ticket machines to improve passengers' on-board experience, following a recent recruitment drive for front-line staff.
ScotRail is also in a close working relationship with Network Rail, contributing to a 15 per cent improvement in the repair of platform surface issues, from 59 per cent to 74 per cent, and an overall reduction of £115,821 in SQUIRE contributions relating to stations compared with the same period in 2018.
SQUIRE is used by Transport Scotland to assess facilities on ScotRail trains and at stations. If something is found during routine SQUIRE inspections that do not meet the expected high standard, ScotRail contributes to the SQUIRE investment fund, with all money raised through the SQUIRE fund reinvested into projects across Scotland's Railway.
The regime is the toughest of its kind in the UK and is a fundamental part of both Transport Scotland and ScotRail's efforts to improve customer experience.
Other improvements include replacing lighting at various stations with new LED lights, the rollout of body-worn cameras, and the trial of enhanced CCTV equipment to detect early warning trespass incidents.
What did the officials say?
ScotRail Sustainability & Safety Assurance Director David Lister said:
“These new figures show the hard work and effort of our people to deliver the level of service our customers expect and deserve is having a real impact.
“But we know there's more to do, we're trialling new equipment to make it easier for our people to check smartcards and tickets on board our trains, and our continued investment in new and upgraded trains, better stations and better facilities will ensure we continue to make improvements in the areas that matter most.”
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