Rail hold-ups

I WAS delighted to read (your report, 11 May) that ScotRail is to launch a new drive to “put ­customers at the centre”.

It is particularly encouraging to see that more emphasis will be placed on punctuality as measured in terms of trains actually being on time, rather than the absurd definition which is standard in the industry that a train is “on time” as long as it is only five or ten minutes late.

In the interests of putting customers at the centre, could I ask the managers to go further and rather than looking at trains running on time, look at the number of passengers delayed? For example, if nine off-peak trains each carrying 40 passengers run on time but one rush-hour train crammed with 360 passengers is late, then 90 per cent of trains have run to time but 50 per cent of passengers arrived late.

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Having been a Glasgow/Edinburgh commuter for the past 19 years, I know that I always arrive late on my rush-hour train, no matter what impressive punctuality statistics are reported by ScotRail.

(Prof) Gordon D Murray

Randolph Road

Glasgow

ALASTAIR Dalton (8 May) says Alex Salmond favours extending the Borders Railway to Carlisle. Why? There is already a fast double-track electrified line running non-stop from Edinburgh.

The Institute of Economic Affairs says even the existing line being built offers poor value for money. The £350 million could have been used in other ways to benefit many more people.

Rural areas are better served by road. Advocates for re-opening rural lines are motivated by nostalgia not objective analysis.

John Munro

Buccleuch Street

Glasgow