Current status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 6 September 2017
To ask the Scottish Government how many weather-related (a) cancellations and (b) delays there have been to trains (i) in each of the last 10 years and (ii) on the Borders Railway line each year.
Transport Scotland does not hold this information. The operator is required under the terms of the franchise to provide data on the public-performance-measure (which measures the numbers of trains which run to time), the amount of seat capacity provided and the numbers of cancellations. All of these data are reported down to the level of service group, against specific benchmarks which are laid out in the franchise.
In terms of ScotRail’s overall performance, officials from Transport Scotland regularly meet with Scotrail to ensure that the effects of seasonal weather fluctuations (summer, autumn, winter) are acknowledged in how the operator organises its services.