Train troubles hit city services again
Rail services to and from the south were hit by staff shortages after new timetables were introduced last weekend.
ScotRail apologised to passengers for disruption on Tuesday that saw the 10.37am from Edinburgh terminate at Perth, the 12.55pm Inverness to Edinburgh similarly terminate at Perth, and the 1.36pm Edinburgh to Inverness start at Perth.
A Tweet from George Moodie, Clydesdale Bank area manager commercial banking for north Scotland and Inverness Chamber of Commerce vice-president, who was caught up in Tuesday’s train trouble, said: “Poor service @ScotRail 12.55pm Inverness to Glasgow service cancelled. Replacement bus service with no space to work, no charging points, no WiFi, no refreshments and completely rammed with people.”
A ScotRail spokesman said: “We’re sorry to our customers who have experienced disruption [on Tuesday] and we’re working hard to improve that.
“This timetable is just the first in a series of improvements we are making for customers over the next year.
“The investment ScotRail and Network Rail is making to electrify more lines and introduce new and upgraded trains means we will deliver faster journeys, more seats, and more services for our customers.”
Stewart Nicol head of Inverness Chamber of Commerce said: “The rail service at Inverness is an area of concern in general for our members and our team who regularly use the service to the central belt and find delays far too common an issue.
“I know ScotRail have had severe challenges, including the new timetables, and it is a concern that this is causing problems while we are trying to get journey times down and train frequencies up.
“Train performance is a real issue at a time when Inverness needs to be connected better to the rest of Scotland.”
Edward Mountain, Conservative MSP for the Highlands and Islands, was furious after his 5.25pm train out of Inverness to Glasgow on Monday broke down at the station when the emergency brake came on and nobody could find out why.
Mr Mountain said: “There may well be staff shortages but there is also unquestionably a huge amount of mismanagement going on as well.
“It’s happening more and more, and there is a general feeling that ScotRail have taken their eye off the ball. So much was made of the ‘brand-new’ 45-year-old 125 trains which were going to make all the difference.
“The train I was on was a 125 and the problems still remain.”
