A government watchdog failed the heating on ScotRail’s "freezing" West Highland Line service between Glasgow and Oban twice last year - despite a denial to us by the state-owned train operator.
In January we highlighted passengers’ complaints about "dangerously unsafe" temperatures on the three-hour train journey and this month we revealed the Scottish Government’s rail chief had launched an investigation by sending in "mystery" inspectors.
We told how freezing travellers on the "Polar Express" between Scotland’s largest city and ’The Gateway to the Isles’ were desperately trying to keep warm with outdoor gear, sleeping bags, hot water bottles, electric blankets, and thermal undies, especially on the train leaving Oban at 5.17am and arriving in Glasgow at 8.42am.
After years on the commute, and his complaints going nowhere, Martin Douglas urged all passengers to flag to ScotRail every time the carriage temperature plunged below 10°C and his call triggered an avalanche of customer complaints.
The Taynuilt teacher told us: "We were all given the same fob off: ’It is not a quick fix’. The standard response is we have alerted engineers and they will check it out."
"It’s often just as cold inside as it is outside."
Fellow commuter Ann McLachlan said: "These conditions were not only unacceptable but extremely unsafe." Even train staff were "begging" customers to complain about the lack of heating.
We shared customers’ chilling experiences with local councillors and MSPs, including Argyll and Bute SNP MSP Jenni Minto, the public health minister. The Scottish Government agency Transport Scotland, which audits ScotRail under the Service Quality Inspection Regime (SQUIRe), told her it had launched a probe.
Its director of Rail, Bill Reeve, said people had the right to expect better, adding: "This is not the service passengers should expect nor indeed we expect ScotRail, now in public ownership, to provide.
"A failure notice will be served on ScotRail if any heating system is not operational or the ambient temperature is less than 16 degrees centigrade or more than 23 degrees centigrade."
We then asked ScotRail on February 5 if Transport Scotland/SQUIRe had served a failure notice on ScotRail relating to temperatures on the train between Oban and Glasgow. A spokesperson replied: "No."
Two days later, Transport Scotland (TS) told us its inspectors had failed the ScotRail service’s heating last year - twice - on the Glasgow to Oban services.
A TS spokesperson told us: "From 1 April 2023 until now Transport Scotland has reported heating issues to ScotRail on the 08:21 Glasgow to Oban services on two occasions but has not reported any issues between Oban to Glasgow.
"On 26 September 2023 Transport Scotland found the heating to be above the ambient temperature and on 29 November 2023 the train was found to be below the ambient temperature with ScotRail notified of both.
"It is incumbent upon ScotRail to ensure the heating is working the right temperatures on all its services.
"We don’t publicise when SQUIRe inspections take place as they are conducted like ‘mystery shoppers’. A sample of services on all ScotRail routes are inspected in all weather conditions every four-week rail period.
"Results of all SQUIRe inspections are gathered and reported to ScotRail daily. ScotRail must then rectify any reported issues as soon as possible and before the end of the period to be credited for repair."
The ScotRail spokeperson had told us again on February 5 that it was looking into "longer-term solutions".
SQUIRe’s "expected repair" period is "five working days". Inspectors failed the heating on November 29, 2023. Schedule 26 rules: "The heating and ventilation systems fitted by the manufacturer in the vehicle should be fully functional and used to provide passengers with a comfortable travelling environment."
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