SO ScotRail ranks bottom of poll in satisfaction for passengers? (“ScotRail ranks bottom of poll on satisfaction for passengers”, The Herald, January 16).
Well, there’s a surprise, and no mistake. But it masks the real surprise that Abellio ScotRail, with trains supplied through Transport Scotland, gains any brownie points at all, given the unspeakably bottom-of-the-range scale of the trains operated.
You name it – any long-distance service in Scotland is operated by exactly the same execrable rolling stock that also chunters the short suburban routes of East Kilbride-Glasgow or Dalmeny-Edinburgh. Thus Scotland bears the unenviable record of operating the poorest quality long-distance rolling stock in Europe.
It’s true. The world-famous West Highland Lines are served by risible 156s; the incomparable Kyle Line has laughably inadequate 158s, while the premier Glasgow-Aberdeen line is operated by poxy 170s (Check the dictionary for the exact meaning of “poxy”, and it reflects not a jot of credit on either Transport Scotland or Abellio ScotRail).
Since 1989, Scotland has festered from an outbreak of these dreadful trains. In the past 29 years, we have been treated to constant promises of jam tomorrow, and urged to wait for the New Jerusalem of rail travel that’s always just around the corner.
I won’t hold my breath on either count, but I will express astonishment that ScotRail trains have reached as high a position in any poll as to be bottom.
Gordon Casely,
Westerton Cottage, Crathes, Kincardineshire.
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