A FORMAL request has been made to Scotland’s transport minister to give Inverclyde rail passengers a discount for journeys on old trains.
Greenock & Inverclyde MSP Stuart McMillan met with Humza Yousaf to discuss the ongoing problems with the controversial Class 314 carriages currently in use on the Gourock and Wemyss Bay lines.
One of the trains broke down twice in the space of three days recently due to a power failure and they have come in for fierce criticism from commuters for having no toilets or wireless internet and a lack of heating.
There have also been complaints that the carriages are dirty, something Mr McMillan has raised with operators ScotRail.
Now he is pushing for Inverclyde passengers to be given a discount for having to travel on what he describes as ‘lesser trains’.
Mr McMillan told the Tele: “I have been contacted by a small number of constituents who have adversely been affected by the old Class 314 trains in use locally.
“Recently, there has been a deterioration in the quality of the service, including an increasing number of breakdowns, dirty carriages and carriages not including a toilet.
“As has been previously been reported, the new trains being constructed by Hitachi have been delayed, and as a consequence we will be having the older trains for longer than planned.
“I have therefore asked the minster to consider introducing a reduced rate for local rail travellers.
“There are other limited examples of this type of initiative in operation elsewhere.
“As it looks like we will be having the trains for longer than expected, I would like my constituents to get this discount.
“I believe that is a fair outcome for those who have to travel on a train with lesser facilities.”
The Class 314s, which were built in 1979, were brought in at the end of 2016 to replace newer models after they were taken away to Edinburgh for driver training ahead of the delivery of a £370 million fleet of 70 electric trains.
More modern carriages were supposed to be reinstated on the Inverclyde lines in May this year but the old trains will remain until at least early 2019 because of a delay with the introduction of the new Hitachi stock.
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