Passengers travelling on trains between Perth and Edinburgh are having to put up with dirty toilets, litter and freezing carriages, it has been claimed.
Liz Smith, Scottish Conservative MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, told The Courier she has been contacted by scores of commuters who want to see improvements on the trains.
She has written to Abellio, which took over the ScotRail franchise in April, and also contacted Transport Minister Derek MacKay to highlight the complaints.
After the contract was awarded in April, the firm’s CEO Jeff Hoogesteger said: “Under Abellio, ScotRail will not simply be a train-operating company but a passenger-operating company. This means it will play a truly strategic role in the long-term development of the nation.”
But Ms Smith said some passengers she has spoken to described conditions on some of the trains travelling between the two cities as “terrible”.
“Reports have suggested that many of the trains on services between Perth and Edinburgh are not being properly cleaned, with litter lying on the floor and tables, as well as dirty toilets and no heating,” the MSP said. “As winter approaches and the temperature lowers, this is making journeys unpleasant for many travellers.”
A spokeswoman for ScotRail said the company will address the concerns.
She said: “We recognise how important it is for our customers to have pleasant and enjoyable journeys on our trains and we are in the process of implementing an improvement plan which will address the issues of train interiors and toilets.
“We welcome the opportunity to meet with Ms Smith to discuss her concerns.”
A Transport Scotland spokesman said: “The minister is aware of Liz Smith’s concerns and will be replying directly to her.
“We expect the very highest standards on our trains and customer satisfaction figures show that, across the piece, our franchisee delivers.
“Where there are particular issues, though, it is important that ScotRail react. Officials will continue to monitor the performance of the franchisee very closely to ensure our service quality requirements are met.”