Remedial Plan notice issued to ScotRail

Operator told services “must improve"

ScotRail has today been issued a remedial plan notice due to performance issues.

The remedial plan notice relates to cancellations in the Suburban East Sector which exceeded the Breach Performance Level during November and December (Period 9).

The notice also applies pre-emptively in relation to ScotRail's overall performance, as measured by the Public Performance Measure (PPM), which Scottish Ministers expect to fall below the Breach Performance Level for the PPM Benchmark during this current Reporting Period (10).

ScotRail now has eight weeks to submit a remedial plan and have given their assurances efforts are being made to improve performance before many passengers return to work after the festive period.

Michael Matheson, Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity said:

"We have stressed many times that ScotRail must improve, but too often passengers have been left disappointed.

"This month should have been a celebration of the biggest increase in services and capacity, enabled by our ambitious electrification programme. Instead, we are taking this contractual step of issuing a remedial plan notice.

"ScotRail recognises the reasons for this notice and the importance in returning performance across our rail network to contractually acceptable levels. Passengers want and deserve a railway which delivers the benefits of more seats and services on a consistently reliable basis."

A Remedial Plan requires ScotRail to set out how they plan to address these performance issues to ensure they can realise the full benefits of the transformational programme to build the best railway Scotland has ever had.

Background

ScotRail informed Transport Scotland that period 9 cancellations indicated a performance breach on 20 December
On 20 December Transport Scotland carried out the required examination and legal process, to enable a remedial notice to be issued.
The notice was issued today (24 December) at the earliest available opportunity
It requires ScotRail to start working on this plan immediately
The Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee has been notified of this situation
Actions from the agreed Remedial Plan will be shared, once approved, in due course
Period 9 relates to the four weeks Sunday 11 Nov - Sat 8 December; Period 10 is Sunday 9 December until 5 January
Suburban East is Edinburgh to Bathgate, Dunblane, Fife Circle, Tweedbank and North Berwick