SCOTRAIL has recorded the lowest rate of skip-stopping since records began – with just 0.1 per cent of services missing a scheduled stop.

For the four weeks to 26 May, just 53 out of almost 58,000 scheduled services missed stops. This is a reduction of 88 per cent on the same period last year.

ScotRail pledged to suspend skip-stopping, except as a last resort. Skip-stopping rates were first recorded in 2009.

Across the network, 91.5 per cent of ScotRail trains met the rail industry standard public performance measure. These services arrived within five minutes of their scheduled time, having stopped at all timetabled stations on the route. This means that ScotRail remains the best performing large rail operator in Britain.

West Dunbartonshire has been hard hit by skip-stopping and it led to ScotRail’s Alliance managing director Alex Hynes meeting up with Dumbarton MSP Jackie Baillie at Cardross in March, this year.

After the meeting Ms Baillie said: “This was a very productive meeting and ScotRail left with a much fuller understanding of the scale of the impact of station-skipping on residents.

“After months of campaigning, I am pleased that ScotRail has finally committed to tougher action to improve our local services.

“There has been a drop in station-skipping over the past eight weeks and we need to ensure that this progress is sustained in the long term.”

Mr Hynes said: “We pledged to suspend skip-stopping, except as a last resort, and that is exactly what has happened.”