Moray SNP News

MSP INVITES SCOTRAIL BOSS TO MEET MORAY RAIL USERS

Moray’s MSP has written to the Managing Director of Abellio ScotRail, Alex Hynes, to Moray for a public meeting with local rail users.

Whilst there has been significant investment by the Scottish Government in the Aberdeen to Inverness line, which serves Moray, concerns continue to be raised with Richard Lochhead MSP about the reliability of services, fare anomalies, and the shortage of seats on commuter services.

Mr Lochhead has written to the Alex Hynes, who took over as Managing Director of Abellio ScotRail last year, inviting him to meet Moray’s rail users and to hear first-hand some of the issues for passengers locally.

Recent rail improvements to the line at Elgin and Forres, which aim to increase services and cut journey times between Aberdeen and Inverness, worth £80 million include:

• 1.5km of new track at Forres
• New Forres Station and link road
• 1.2km of new track at Elgin
• Extended platforms at Elgin
• Upgrading of Elgin level crossing to a full barrier, CCTV crossing
• Removal of redundant signal boxes at Elgin and Forres
• Upgrading of signalling systems between Elgin and Inverness

Richard Lochhead MSP said:

“We’ve seen significant investment in the actual rail infrastructure in Moray from the Scottish Government, with a new train station at Forres and improvements on the line to allow for an increased service and will help cut journey times, which is great news.  That £80m investment in Moray’s rail infrastructure is the biggest rail users have seen in a lifetime and will be of huge benefit in the long term.

“Local rail users however do have some concerns about the service provided by ScotRail, particularly around the cancellation and reliability of trains and the lack of capacity on busier services used by commuters. 

“I think it is really important for the Managing Director of ScotRail hears directly from Moray’s passengers as to how local rail services can be improved, so I hope that Alex Hynes will accept my invitation to take part in a public meeting to get a better understanding of rail users’ experiences here in Moray.”