Transport Secretary Confirms Fife Rail Service “Does Not Yet Meet Standards Required”

Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop MSP has confirmed she has told ScotRail management staff that “the situation in Fife must improve as quickly as possible” as Fife commuters’ service “does not yet meet standards required from ScotRail.”

The Transport Secretary was responding to a letter I wrote to her raising my continuing concerns that Fife rail users are being short-changed by a declining standard of service at a time of rail fare increases with the reintroduction of peak fares on all ScotRail services.

I called on the Transport Secretary to directly intervene and demand that an action plan is put in place to quickly get the level of service up to an acceptable standard after constituents contacted me regarding repeated issues with short-form trains meaning there were not enough carriages for the number of people travelling.

I also said the people of Fife cannot be expected to put up with the worst rail services in Scotland.

Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop MSP confirmed she would “continue to push for the progress to ensure that ScotRail in public ownership is considered a success by the people of Fife and wider in Scotland.”

I welcome the response I received from my letter to the Transport Secretary where she recognises that ScotRail services in Fife are not good enough and the issues commuters in Fife are facing are unacceptable.

I have always been pleased with the engagement I have had from the Transport Secretary and the ScotRail management team on these issues, but the time has come for action and not words – people in Fife must see improvements to their rail services as a matter of urgency.

I urge anyone using train services in Fife who is experiencing any problem – whether it be late or cancelled trains, less carriages than expected, overcrowding, or any issue at all – to contact their MSPs, contact ScotRail and make clear that we deserve and demand a functioning train service.

I am clear Fife will no longer accept poorer rail services than the rest of the country.