Rail regulator praises “strong performance” in Scotland

Commenting on the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) assessment of Network Rail’s performance which was published this morning (Friday), Transport Minister Keith Brown said:

“I am encouraged to see this strong operational performance within Scotland, which is in stark contrast to some of the figures for elsewhere in the UK.

“ScotRail in particular has benefited from its alliance with Network Rail and significant infrastructure improvements like the on-time completion of the Paisley Canal electrification. This has enabled the industry to work much closer together and help raise performance, improve efficiency and deliver greater value for money.

“Performance levels have improved considerably, which have in turn helped support further investment in new projects including advance works for Stirling-Alloa-Dunblane electrification and the accelerated delivery of the Whifflet route electrification project.

“Last year, a staggering 83 million passenger journeys were made in Scotland – a 33 per cent increase since the start of the current franchise. We’ve made those journeys more comfortable by investing over £430 million in new electric and refurbished rolling stock and by electrifying lines and providing new stations. We are also committed to enhancing the passenger experience by providing Wi-Fi and modern facilities.

“There are some areas where we can and will do better. Our cross-border operations act as vital links between Scotland and the major centres of commerce in the UK. We will be seeking assurances that performance on these lines improve significantly to ensure they meet target, particularly in the areas of overhead line problems that have caused significant delays in the past.

“We want to ensure both Network Rail and ScotRail continue to work together and perform at a level that sets Scotland apart in terms of UK rail travel. That is why we welcome the ORR’s positive and continued support in liaising with Network Rail on performance issues. Much can still be achieved and we will continue to work closely with Network Rail on performance monitoring to ensure improvements continue to be delivered.”

Background

Key Findings include:

Passenger satisfaction remains at a record high of 85% (GB was 85%/ Scotland 90%, National Passenger Focus Rail Survey, 2012).
Train operators overall satisfaction with Network Rail is up 25% when compared with last year.
Overall performance in Scotland was “good”, despite some severe weather conditions.
The ORR offered its congratulations to everyone involved in Scotland’s achievements this past year, in comparison to England and Wales where NR missed its performance targets on punctuality and public performance measures.
ScotRail’s PPM was 93% at the year end, a rise of 2.3%. The benefits from ScotRail’s alliance with NR has been attributed to this rise, with electrification of the Paisley Canal route being a significant factor. The Scotland ‘Route’ has also benefitted from Network Rail’s early implementation of remote condition monitoring equipment.
In Scotland, there was a 2% improvement on the ‘Network Rail caused delay to passenger services’ target. Network Rail failed to meet this target for England & Wales.

For more information visit http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/upload/pdf/nrm-1213q4-scotland.pdf