ScotRail disruption payments top £3 million
Scottish Liberal Democrat transport spokesperson Jamie Greene has today revealed that since the nationalisation of the ScotRail franchise the service has paid out more than £3m in payments to passengers whose trains have been cancelled or delayed.
Passengers whose trains are delayed by more than half an hour can make delay repay claims.
Figures for delay repay payments are typically published by ScotRail with a six-month lag, however figures acquired by Scottish Liberal Democrats reveal that between April 2022, when the service returned to public ownership, and the end of October 2025:
- £3,089,106.54 was paid to passengers for late trains.
- There have been 262,747 claims for delay repay in that time, with 178,446 of those being approved and paid out.
- This means that the average pay-out for delay repay in that time has been £17.32.
Scottish Liberal Democrat transport spokesperson Jamie Greene MSP said:
“This is an eye-watering, multi-million-pound bill for delayed trains.
“The SNP have been directly responsible for the trains for three and a half years, but these figures point to a serious level of disruption that will be frustrating for commuters, holidaymakers and taxpayers.
“Since this figure only covers those who have applied for a refund, there may be many more people who have been similarly inconvenienced but who simply haven’t claimed.
“With people across the country struggling to make ends meet, these payments need to be brought under control. That’s also how we create a more efficient service that will help encourage people out of private cars.
“Passengers and commuters deserve better. Wherever you are, by backing the Scottish Liberal Democrats on your peach regional ballot next May, you can vote for a public transport that works for all communities, ages and for the planet. We would achieve that with new options for two/three-day-a-week season tickets and by working with councils to explore new lines, especially in areas where public transport links are poor.”