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The Herald Scotland
8 hours ago
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Less than 3% of ScotRail services cancelled in 2024
A high water mark in 2022 saw 23,207 services cancelled, or 3.7% of all trains. Early figures in 2025 have also been positive, with only 2.2% of trains cancelled this year, as of 16 May. Mark Ilderton, ScotRail's Service Delivery Director, praised the findings. He told The Herald: 'Everyone across Scotland's Railway is working flat out for our customers to ensure our rail service is a safe, reliable, and green form of public transport. 'We operate more than 2,100 services every day, with around nine out of ten of those services meeting the punctuality target, getting customers to where they need to be. 'Cancellations can be for a number of reasons, many of them outside the control of ScotRail, but represented around two per cent of more than 650,000 services we operate across the country over the course of the year.' ScotRail trains were cancelled less than 3% of the time in 2024. (Image: Merseytravel) However, the number of public performance monitoring (PPM) failures has fluctuated in recent years. The figure increased slightly between 2022 and 2024, rising from 69,625 to 73,359. However, the overall failure percentage dropped from 11.2% to 10.7%. PPM tracks the publicity of train services, measuring the percentage of trains which arrive at their destination within five minutes for regional trains and ten minutes for long distance services. Ilderton said that while the trends were 'encouraging', there was more work to be done. He said: 'Our focus is building on the hard work of our people to deliver the safe and reliable railway that our customers expect and deserve, and to encourage more people to travel by train instead of using the car. 'And with more than nine out of ten customers satisfied with our service according to Transport Focus, the independent watchdog for transport users, it's testament to the hard work of ScotRail staff in delivering a safe, reliable, and green railway.' Read more from Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco: Rail station reopenings will lead to multi-million economic boost, quango says ScotRail 'one of UK's best for passenger satisfaction' ScotRail is 'fixing' AI train announcer after controversy over voice used The Herald's FOI request also queried the cost of ScotRail's AI announcement system, dubbed 'Iona'. The system sparked controversy after Scottish voiceover artist Gayanne Potter alleged tech firm Read Speaker used recordings of her voice to develop the software — without her permission. When asked to provide details on how much it cost to develop and implement the system, ScotRail declined, stating 'Iona' did not incur "development costs' as it was 'an off the shelf product'. Potter told the BBC: "I have to look on social media and see people mocking it, berating it. "They don't realise it's actually a real person who's been put through a dreadful voice app." Potter added: "It's hard enough for people in the creative industry to sustain careers but to be competing with a robotic version of yourself just adds insult to injury." First Minister John Swinney has told MSPs in Holyrood that ScotRail would be 'fixing' the software.
BBC News
21-04-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Could Liverpool city centre finally get a Baltic railway station?
It is almost 110 years since the last service ran through the former Liverpool St James' railway station. But it may not be long before the city can mark the start of a new chapter for the long-abandoned site in what is now known as the Baltic Triangle area of the to resurrect a rail station has been around for more than a decade, with the reopening seen as vital to the success of the Baltic Triangle's development in Tuesday, Liverpool Council's planning committee will debate plans that would deliver a £100m new station providing about 17,000 journeys a day and for the first time in more than a century, the station could return - under a new name. Where was it? The former St James' stop sits between Brunswick and Liverpool Central. Now the area is known as the Baltic Triangle - a former industrial area around Liverpool's Jamaica Street, which is now home to independent creative and digital businesses. Why did it close? The original station opened in 1874 and was named after a nearby parish closed during the World War One as a cost-cutting measure but never reopened. Resurrection plans get on track In March 2014, Merseytravel agreed to collaborate with Liverpool Vision to investigate the cost and projected usage of reopening the January 2015, Merseytravel confirmed plans to conduct a study on the station's potential reopening during the 2015–16 financial year with it marked as a "top rail project" by Merseyrail a year later. There had been hopes the station could open as early as this year when formal plans for the revived stop were reignited in also included settling on a name for the site. Given the existing James Street station, city region leaders wanted to avoid confusing passengers and set about a public vote and Liverpool Baltic was the overwhelming winner. Who will the new station serve? Subject to the planning committee's approval after a site visit next week, the station will serve Merseyrail's Northern Line. The proposed new station is part of Metro Mayor Rotheram's Merseyrail for All commitment to reach communities currently not connected to the local rail network by utilising the region's new pioneering battery powered technology, which has made it possible to extend the lines beyond current boundaries. What can passengers expect? The station will include passenger toilets, a cycle hub, step-free access to and between both platforms and a passenger drop-off area documents revealed how the station could comprise an overground single-storey building with a tall wraparound parapet, a mezzanine level, new widened underground platforms and four lift/emergency exit station's ticket lobby and staff facilities would be located at ground floor level. Where has the cash come from? The £96m required for the station came from the £710m City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS), dedicated to major transport projects across the city region. The construction phase is projected to generate around 330 jobs at a regional level with £155m in benefits over a 60-year period upon completion. Have there been any issues with the plans? The main station building will be situated on a triangular plot bordered by Stanhope Street to the south, Ashwell Street to the east and north, and the Merseyrail Northern railway line cutting to the west.A long-standing garage on Ashwell Street has warned of the detrimental effects such a development could garage, started by Mr Garrett's father in 1988, sits in an area that would become the station building and could potentially cut off vital road access for the the station bid was announced, Mr Rotheram said the new station would connect communities to jobs. Mr Garrett told the Local Democracy Reporting Service he had lost members of his team because of fears they would be out of work as a Garrett said should no solution be found "it would appear that the nuclear option" to relocate from the Baltic "may be the only way forward". A Liverpool Council spokesperson said the application would consider the comments received regarding the station build while a representative for the LCRCA said they had taken into account feedback received from residents and businesses, including Mr Garrett and Ashwell Motors when designing the scheme. When is it set to open? The Metro Mayor of Liverpool City Region Steve Rotheram said his goal would be to deliver the station by November, Mr Rotheram said it was more likely to be towards the end of 2027 that people were able to use the new station. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Yahoo
Warning issued to drivers as Wallasey Tunnel set to close
A warning has been issued to drivers as the Wallasey Tunnel is set to close for maintenance work. Merseytravel said the Kingsway Tunnel will be fully closed to drivers from 7pm on Sunday, March 23 to 6.30am on Monday, March 24. A spokesperson said the work is part of ongoing investment and modernisation to "futureproof" the tunnels. The Queensway (Birkenhead) tunnel will be open as usual, however drivers have been warned to leave more time for their journey. HGVs are not permitted through the Queensway (Birkenhead) Tunnel, Merseytravel said and are asked to find alternative routes. Cross river bus services will be diverted through the Birkenhead Tunnel. READ MORE: Man, 22, died trying to save his girlfriend on holiday READ MORE: DWP update on who will have bank accounts checked and money removed Passengers are therefore advised to check directly with their operator for any changes to their journey and plan ahead. A spokesperson added: "Anyone planning to use the Kingsway Tunnel early on the morning of Monday, March 24 should check before they travel. We would like to thank drivers for their patience while we complete this essential maintenance." For the latest news and breaking news visit Get all the big headlines, pictures, analysis, opinion and video on the stories that matter to you by signing up to our daily and breaking newsletter. Sign up to our breaking news newsletter here. Follow us on X @LivECHONews or on Bluesky @ - official Liverpool ECHO accounts - real news in real time. We're also on Facebook/theliverpoolecho - your must-see news, features, videos and pictures throughout the day from the Liverpool ECHO.
