ScotRail cleanliness complaints up almost 80% in last three years

Highland Liberal Democrats Angus MacDonald MP and Cllr Andrew Baxter have today challenged ScotRail to up the pace in upgrading trains and tackling soaring complaints over cleanliness.

A freedom of information request submitted by Scottish Liberal Democrats have revealed that the number of complaints about cleanliness on trains received by ScotRail has risen by 78% since 2022 with customers raising concerns about freezing trains, toilets out of action, and windows “so dirty you can hardly see out of them.”

Mr MacDonald and Mr Baxter recently met with ScotRail executives press for answers on the ongoing problems affecting services between Glasgow, Fort William, Oban and Mallaig. The meeting followed months of complaints from passengers about cold carriages, broken toilets, inadequate cleaning, and overcrowding on one of Scotland’s most important rural and tourist rail routes. They also highlighted the case of Dr Frank Roberts who collapsed and was hospitalised, suffering a concussion after a fall linked to the sub-zero conditions on the West Highland line.

During the meeting, ScotRail admitted that the Class 156 trains operating on the West Highland Line are among the oldest in their fleet, conceding the trains were “shabby”, “extremely uncomfortable,” and “almost at life end”. Replacement trains will not reach the Highlands until the early 2030s and even then these will be drawn from pre-existing stock currently on suburban lines.

Mr MacDonald said:

"These figures show complaints going in the wrong direction since ScotRail was taken over by the Scottish Government.

“Across Scotland there is a chorus of groans at trains that are not fit for purpose.

"Getting Scotland moving again, with reliable, clean and affordable public transport will be at the heart of the Scottish Liberal Democrat campaign at the forthcoming election. Passengers must have confidence that our rail services are fit for purpose."

Andrew Baxter, Scottish Liberal Democrat candidate for Syke, Lochaber and Badenoch said:

“I want to see urgent action to fix freezing, dirty, and overcrowded trains on the West Highland Line.

“People in the Highlands and the many visitors who travel here deserve trains that are warm, clean and reliable. Instead, they are being asked to put up with carriages that are cold, dirty, overcrowded and poorly maintained.

"We need practical improvements now, not many years in the future.”