ScotRail says it is working “round the clock” to improve services after figures revealed more than 40% of Elgin trains experience delays.
Figures obtained by the Press and Journal have revealed that two out of every five trains in the Moray town arrive behind schedule.
The statistics show the performance has improved over the last 10 years when more than half of ScotRail trains in Elgin had delays.
However, today the operator was told there remains “room for improvement” for passengers.
In full: How ScotRail is performing in Elgin
Figures published by ScotRail have revealed the number of trains in Elgin that have delays of more than one minute and more than five minutes.
- Statistics show the number of trains on time with delays of less than one minute has increased from 48% to 58% since 2014/15.
- The number of trains on time in Elgin is now roughly in line with the national average.
- About one in 10 of all ScotRail trains in Elgin have delays of more than five minutes.
- The number of Elgin trains delayed by less than five minutes has remained consistently behind the network average.
How has ScotRail reduced Elgin delays?
Transport Scotland completed a £330 million project in 2019 to help make trains between Aberdeen and Inverness more reliable.
The line is predominantly single-track, meaning trains travelling in opposite directions can only pass each other in certain sections.
It means delays to one service can affect other trains in the timetable.
The improvement project included a rebuilt station in Forres with two platforms to allow trains to pass for the first time.
A new passing loop was also created at Dalcross for the new Inverness Airport station and there was a re-doubling of the line south of Inverurie.
Disappointment in continuing Elgin delays
Despite the improvement in the number of on-time trains in Elgin, calls have been made for action to address delays of more than five minutes
Highlands and Islands MSP Douglas Ross said: “These figures confirm that the percentage of trains arriving on time has improved marginally, but those arriving more than five minutes late are continuing which I know is frustrating for commuters, particularly those with connections.
“When the SNP took over the running of Scotrail we warned the customer would suffer and that seems to be the case with these delays and the fact people are now paying more for their tickets.
“People living in rural communities across Moray need reliable connections to commute to work and trains are a big part of that.”
Alastair Kennedy, chairman of Elgin Community Council, said: “I suppose ScotRail should be congratulated for the improvements they have made, but it’s still a poor service.
“It would depend on how late these trains are that are more than five minutes late. I wouldn’t mind so much if just five minutes, but longer than that and it’s very inconvenient.
“One of the big things we have called for as a community council is another passing loop for the trains between Elgin and Keith. It’s very hard for them to improve the service significantly without that.”
ScotRail: ‘We know there’s more work to be done’
ScotRail stressed not all delays and cancellations on the network are within their control.
The operator explained adverse weather and problems with infrastructure owned by Network Rail, councils or other third parties can also impact on services.
A recruitment drive is currently underway in Inverness for more engineers to keep trains in the north running smoothly.
Mark Ilderton, ScotRail’s service delivery director, said: “Everyone across Scotland’s Railway is working flat out for our customers to ensure our rail service is a safe, reliable, and green form of public transport.
“While it’s encouraging to see performance levels moving in the right direction, we know there’s more work to be done.
“Our focus is building on the hard work of our people to deliver the safe and reliable railway that our customers expect and deserve, and to encourage more people to travel by train instead of using the car.”
Read more from Elgin
- Better off or a raw deal? How Elgin ScotRail fares compare to Central Belt
- Hourly trains were promised from Elgin to Aberdeen 15 years ago: What happened to them?
- ‘Extra capacity and faster connections needed’: Train passengers have their say on Elgin services
Conversation