The Anonymous Widower

ScotRail In Trouble

This article on Rail News is entitled Major improvement plan for struggling ScotRail. This is the first paragraph.

The ScotRail Alliance has unveiled a plan to improve performance, after managing director Phil Verster had described the task of upgrading the network while running trains day-to-day as like ‘performing open heart surgery while doing a marathon’.

After my troubles at the weekend on n Northern Rail with overcrowded trains around Blackburn, I wonder if a pattern is emerging.

Consider.

There is a lot of work going on in Scotland to electrify Glasgow to Edinburgh under the EGIP scheme.

There are delays to the electrification.

ScotRail will soon be receiving a a new fleet of Hitachi Class 385 trains.

There has been a union dispute.

Similar patterns are seen across the network, including in the following places.

• Manchester Area
• Northern England
• Southwards from London
• Thames Valley
• Valley Lines In Wales

I do wonder if the announcement of jam, milk and honey in a few years, prompts people to anticipate the new services and the passenger numbers grow, prior to the new services.

All this probably says, is that we should have a long term plan for the railways, which doesn’t get cut back, the next time government has a budget crisis.

October 21, 2016 - Posted by AnonW | Transport/Travel | Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Program, Electrification, Scotland, Trains