An annual evaluation of ScotRail’s rail and passenger services shows improvements in a range of key areas.
Transport Scotland’s SQUIRE (Service Quality Incentive Regime) system monitors services and facilities at stations and onboard trains across the country. It measures 36 different areas which affect passengers’ rail travel experience, from train cleanliness to station staff.
The system aims to drive quality improvements in rail services and facilities, and has a reputation as one of the toughest regimes of its kind in the UK.
Over the last 12 months, clearing station graffiti, station staff, ticket inspection onboard trains, train cleanliness, public address and customer information were all recognised as areas where standards were consistently high.
Meanwhile, although standards had improved, it was recognised that there was still room for improvement at ticket offices and regarding station clocks, station toilets, train seats, and train lighting.
ScotRail receives bonuses for above benchmark performance and penalties for areas that fall below benchmark under SQUIRE. Penalties for the 12 months to 25 June 2011 totalled £446,787 – down 43% on the previous year.
Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure and Capital Investment, Alex Neil, said:
“Transport Scotland’s SQUIRE system is one of the toughest regimes in the UK with targets set as high as 99% for aspects of rail travel which we know are important to passengers.
“Last winter was particularly challenging for rail operators and passengers in Scotland and it is a credit to ScotRail that customer satisfaction remains higher than the UK average.
“Over the past twelve months ScotRail has improved its performance in a number of key areas and Transport Scotland will continue to highlight areas where further improvements are required to ensure that standards are high for rail passengers in Scotland.”
Steve Montgomery, managing director of ScotRail, said:
“We welcome the significant improvement in performance. It is a further step in the right direction and shows we are rising to the challenges set by one of the UK’s toughest regimes, despite the challenges of the worst winter in 100 years.
“There is still work to be done and our focus on standards and investment in stations and on trains, and developing our staff, will continue.”
Under the franchise agreement, ScotRail is inspected and results issued by Service Quality Inspectors on a daily basis, with results published on a quarterly and annual basis.
