A Castlemilk man working at the ScotRail Alliance has been recognised for his fundraising efforts.

Stevie Graham took part in an annual sponsored 5km walk while dressed in a pink wig and tutu as part of Cancer Research UK’s ‘Walk All Over Cancer’ campaign.

However, this year’s event took on a special significance for Steven, after his sister-in-law passed away from cancer aged just 40. Keen to prevent more families going through the same heartbreak, the Corkerhill depot shift manager raised £280 for the cause.

His total received a £250 boost, after he successfully applied for funding through the ScotRail Alliance’s employee charitable giving fund – bringing his overall funds raised to £530.

This year over £6,000 has been donated by the ScotRail Alliance to charities nominated by staff. This is in addition to the £33,000 raised for the business’ charity partner, MND Scotland.

Stevie said: “I’m delighted to have raised so much, and it’s great that my employer have almost doubled my fundraising total.
“Cancer is an awful disease, and I want to do what I can to end the suffering that it brings.”

Supporters travelling to next weekend’s Betfred Scottish League Cup semi-finals at Hampden Park are being advised to plan their journeys in advance.

The ScotRail Alliance confirmed that extra carriages will be added to trains between Glasgow Central and Mount Florida / Kings Park to help fans get to and from the stadium, however trains will be busier than normal.

Celtic meet Hibernian for the second time in a month in the 12.15pm kick-off on Saturday 21 October, while Rangers face Motherwell on Sunday 22 October at 2:30pm.

Customers heading to the games are advised to allow additional time for travel, as queuing systems will be in place at Glasgow Central prior to kick off, and at Mount Florida / Kings Park after the final whistle.

Extra staff will be on hand to assist customers and, as with most large events, alcohol bans will be in place.

Hibs fans are reminded trains to Glasgow leave Edinburgh via Bathgate and via Shotts as well as on the Edinburgh to Glasgow mainline, which will be much busier than normal.

On Sunday, Motherwell supporters are encouraged to make their way to Kings Park.

John McBrinn, ScotRail Alliance Head of Customer Experience Major Stations, said:
“These are really big games for the teams involved, and we’re looking forward to once again help fans travel to the national stadium to cheer on their side.

“Trains heading to Glasgow and Mount Florida will be extremely busy, so customers should make sure they buy their tickets before they board.

“We will be doing everything we can to keep people moving hassle free, but supporters should plan their journeys in advance at scotrail.co.uk or on the ScotRail app.”

• Volunteers on-hand to give advice and teach CPR
• Train stations are among a range of venues where CPR awareness events will take place
• Aim is to have 500,000 people equipped with CPR skills by 2020

Rail travellers passing through Aberdeen, Haymarket, Kilmarnock and Inverness stations on 16 October will have the opportunity to learn CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) as part of European Restart a Heart Day.

Volunteers working with the Save a Life for Scotland Charity will be on-hand to teach CPR skills to staff, rail customers and station visitors. Armed with dummies, they’ll teach techniques and answer questions around administering CPR. The volunteers will be in these stations from 12-3pm on 16 October.

This day of action is part of the charity’s stated aim that by 2020 there will be 500,000 people in Scotland trained to administer CPR in the event of someone having a heart attack. Since an untreated heart attack could potentially lead to a cardiac arrest, learning life-saving skills such as CPR could make the difference to a patient and their families.

Every year around 3500 people are treated for an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest by the Scottish Ambulance Service.

The ScotRail Alliance’s director of safety and sustainability David Lister said: “We are pleased to support the work of Save a Life for Scotland. We place huge importance on keeping our customers safe and well and anything we can do to make sure everyone’s prepared if there’s an emergency on our trains or in a station is vital.

“I encourage as many staff and customers as possible to learn the skills of CPR. Sadly, we never know when we may need them and they may help save a life.”

Lisa MacInnes, National Programme Manager for Save a Life for Scotland said: “We are so grateful to ScotRail for their support of the campaign and for providing their customers with the opportunity to learn this life-saving skill.

“Each year in Scotland, thousands of people of all ages and backgrounds will have an unexpected cardiac arrest. Being first on the scene is scary. Calling 999 to get help on the way and stepping up to do compression-only CPR, if asked to over the phone by the Ambulance Service call taker is not always easy, but it’s the right thing to do. Taking a few minutes to learn how to perform CPR and make yourself ‘CPR ready’ will make all the difference, and can save a life.”

Photo caption:
Help in a heartbeat – the ScotRail Alliance supports charity’s drive to raise awareness of CPR (picture credit: Claire Fleck photography)

The ScotRail Alliance is setting jobseekers on the fast-track to work with the offer of free travel.

Managing director Alex Hynes was at Clydebank station to highlight the ScotRail Alliance’s offer of:

– Two free return journeys a month for jobseekers attending an interview
– A free ScotRail travel ticket for the first month of a person’s return to work

Mr Hynes said that by supporting people back into work, the ScotRail Alliance is helping to grow Scotland’s economy.

Jobseekers are also able to take advantage of the Jobcentre Plus Travel Discount Card – a UK government initiative which allows those who are unemployed and claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance or Universal Credit to receive a 50% discount on selected rail tickets.

ScotRail Alliance Managing Director Alex Hynes said:

“We’re building the best railway Scotland has ever had, and part of that is helping to grow the economy and create a fairer country by setting people on the fast-track to work.

“For people out of work, the cost of travelling to an interview can often be a barrier to returning to work.

“By removing that barrier and providing help with the cost, we hope to be able to support people into work and grow Scotland’s economy.

“The support we offer to jobseekers is one of the ScotRail Alliance’s best kept secrets – but I want as many people as possible to know about this opportunity.”

Jamie Hepburn, Minister for Employability and Training, said:

“The ScotRail franchise is about much more than delivering a rail service – it acts as an enabler for growth by helping people access education, employment and leisure opportunities across the country.

“This offer to jobseekers does exactly that by making attending interviews and starting work more affordable.”

Pictured above: (L-R) Janette Anderson, Alex Hynes, Judi McLaughlin and Graeme McFarlan at the launch of the Scotrail scheme to launch job applicants back into work with free travel.

The ScotRail Alliance is reminding customers that round one pound coins are due to expire next week.

From Monday 16 October, the old coins will no longer be accepted for payment on trains or at stations, including self-service ticket machines and car parking meters.

To avoid losing out, the ScotRail Alliance is encouraging customers to spend, bank or donate their round pounds to its charity partner, MND Scotland.

The round one pound coin goes out of circulation at 11.59pm on Sunday 15 October, and businesses across the UK are under no obligation to accept the old coin from customers.

ScotRail Alliance Community Investment Manager Sophie Nightingale said: “We have collection cans at stations across the network and if customers find they still have some of the old coins lying around, it would be fantastic if they donated them to MND Scotland.

“Every single pound makes a massive difference in improving the lives of those affected by Motor Neurones Disease.”

The ScotRail Alliance will invest millions of pounds to keep people moving during autumn, as it undertakes a major push to deal with the very real safety risks caused by leaves on the line.

With much of Scotland’s railway lined by trees, a common cause of disruption during autumn is leaves falling on the line. A build-up of leaves results in a slippery layer forming on the tracks.

This can be dangerous, causing trains to skid and overshoot signals and platforms – potentially putting passengers and staff in danger.

As a result, drivers must accelerate and brake gently. This causes services to go slower than normal and can result in disruption for customers.

Leaf debris can also interfere with the signalling systems, making it difficult to track trains on the network.

Led by Network Rail, from the middle of October the autumn campaign will include:
• £2.6million invested in clearing the tracks
• 11 leaf fall teams, totalling 30 staff based at locations across Scotland including in Inverness, Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Tayside, the Borders and Fife
• A fleet of seven specialist treatment trains designed to clear leaf debris and spray lines with a glue-like coating to help train wheels grip the tracks
• Treatment trains covering an average of 1,500 miles a day
• Up to 7,200 staff hours dedicated to clearing the line
• A colour-coded warning system on Twitter each day, advising customers of any expected disruptions caused by the weather.

David Dickson, infrastructure director for the ScotRail Alliance, said:

“We are working hard to build the best railway Scotland has ever had, and part of that is keeping people moving during autumn when the weather can create major safety risks.

“We know few things annoy customers more than when their train is delayed because of leaves on the line. People are always a bit sceptical, but the reality is that leaves on the line can be dangerous and lead to disruption.

“The ScotRail Alliance is investing millions of pounds and pulling out all the stops to tackle this problem over the coming months.”

The ScotRail Alliance is proud to once again support the Macmillan ‘World’s Biggest Coffee Morning’.

Taking place on Friday 29 September, the World’s Biggest Coffee Morning is Macmillan’s largest fundraising event for people facing cancer.

Passengers who wish to purchase hot drinks on a ScotRail train or at the Cafeology coffee cart in Glasgow Queen Street station will be asked to donate to Macmillan, rather than pay for their drink.

A choice of shortbread or a flapjack will also be provided to accompany the drink, which will be donated by ScotRail’s main supplier Food and Drink Hub in Cumbernauld.

The coffee morning will run from 7am until 10am with all proceeds donated to Macmillan Cancer Support.

ScotRail Alliance Head of Customer Experience & Hospitality Garry Clark said: “We’re delighted to be supporting the Macmillan ‘World’s Biggest Coffee Morning’ once again.

“Through the kindness and generosity of our people and our passengers, we have raised more than £10,000 over the past few years and hope to raise even more funds for this worthy cause.”

Macmillan Fundraising Manager Emma Connor said: “We are extremely grateful for the support of ScotRail Alliance and their customers who have raised an amazing amount of money for us over the past few years.

“Every penny raised will help Macmillan continue to provide emotional, financial, medical and practical support to people affected by cancer.”

Pupils at schools across Scotland are set to learn about railway safety through a series of workshops held by the ScotRail Alliance.

As part of Rail Safety Week 2017, which runs Monday 25 September – Sunday 1 October, leading figures in the rail industry will work in partnership to promote the vital importance of rail safety.

The ScotRail Alliance is holding a series of school safety based events to educate, address, engage and promote rail safety, including interactive workshops which focus on level crossing awareness.

By using drama, games, improvisation and quizzes, the workshops are designed to share safety information and railway facts and figures with young people. Character-based activities will be used to give pupils the opportunity to put themselves in the shoes of people who had been involved in making unsafe decisions, as well as considering the impact of accidents on the wider community, railway staff and other passengers.

The Scottish Football Association and the British Transport Police will also host football and rail safety sessions to raise awareness of the danger of playing near the railway.

Rail Safety Week is an industry-led initiative focusing on rail safety for all.

ScotRail Alliance Community Liaison Executive Allan James Brooking said:

“We’re really looking forward to playing our part in making Rail Safety Week a success.

“It’s important that young people understand just how dangerous the railway can be. That’s why we’re running several interactive workshops to raise awareness and highlight the risks – particularly at a time when we are electrifying large portions of the Scottish rail network.”

Founder of Rail Safety Week Alan Tarrant said:

“It’s fantastic to see the rail industry come together again to make the foundations of what is looking to be a great week.

“With over 120 organisations committed to delivering important safety messages across the UK I’m confident we, as an industry, can continue working together to raise the standard and profile of safety within the industry.

“As Rail Safety Week is a non-profit organisation we rely on the help, hard work and commitment of the industry to make the week a success.”

Inspector Bryan O’Neill from British Transport Police, said: “We’re looking forward to joining ScotRail next week as we all get involved with Rail Safety Week 2017.

“Throughout the year, officers from BTP regularly visit schools to talk to young people about the dangers of the railway. The railway is a hazardous environment and often we’re called to worrying incidents where children have trespassed onto the tracks. The workshops next week will be a fun and interactive way to engage with young people and make sure they know about the risks of the railway.”

Nine Scottish stations have been named among the top 100 in Britain, according to a new book.

Simon Jenkins, author and founder of the Railway Heritage Trust, profiles his favourite British stations in his new book “Britain’s 100 Best Railway Stations”.

Rating the stations on their architecture, ambience and historical significance, Jenkins travelled the length and breadth of the country to narrow down the list from 2,563 to just 100.

Of the nine Scottish stations that made the list, two also made the top 10 – Glasgow Central and Wemyss Bay.

Glasgow Central station – the second-busiest in the UK – was chosen for its atmosphere, as well as its category A-listed structure. It recently received a 95% customer satisfaction score in the recent National Rail Passenger Survey.

Wemyss Bay, which features on the cover of the book, was picked for its stunning Edwardian building. Built to cater for holidaymakers heading from the city to resorts on the Clyde, the station features a covered promenade from the platforms to the adjacent ferry terminal.

Peter O’Connell, the ScotRail Alliance’s head of stations and retail development, said:
“It’s great that so many stations in Scotland have been included in this list. We recognise the importance of stations as focal points for local communities, and we are very lucky to have fantastic teams who help keep our stations looking bright and welcoming all year round.

“We couldn’t have done this without the dedication of them and also our station adopters, who really go the extra mile. The ScotRail Alliance is working with groups all across the country not just to deliver the best railway Scotland’s ever had, but to also to make a difference to local communities.”

The ScotRail Alliance’s performance in recent weeks is the best it has achieved since May 2015.

Figures for the four weeks to 16 September 2017 show that 94.1 per cent of trains met the industry standard public performance measure – the best four-week performance since May 2015. Abellio took over the franchise in April 2015.

This takes ScotRail’s moving annual average – the average performance over the previous 12 months – to 91.21 per cent, which meets the regulatory target.

Other key features of recent performance include:

– The four-week performance is 3.4 percentage points better than the same period last year.
– The annual average performance is 1.6 percentage points higher than at the same time last year.
– The moving annual average in England and Wales is 88.1 per cent.

Earlier this summer it was revealed that ScotRail is the best performing large operator in the UK, and nine out of ten customers told the independent National Rail Passenger Survey by Transport Focus that they were satisfied with ScotRail – equalling its best ever score.

ScotRail Alliance Operations Director Perry Ramsey said:

“These figures show that the ScotRail Alliance continues to deliver excellent service for our customers.

“For us to achieve our best performance in more than two years is down to the hard work of our people, who continue to go above and beyond to help customers travel about hassle free.

“But we are far from complacent. We know that customers want us to get even better, and we are delivering the investment to make that happen.

“We’re building the best railway Scotland’s ever had. The new and better trains coming to Scotland will mean faster journeys, more seats and better services for our customers.”

Humza Yousaf, Minister for Transport and the Islands, said:

“These latest figures confirming ScotRail’s best performance since May 2015 is very welcome news indeed. ScotRail has come a long way since the Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) was implemented a year ago and last month saw them become the best performing large train operator in the UK.

“While they are now above PIP levels, ScotRail is maintaining focus on continued improvement as ‘business as usual’.

“The very real efforts to lift performance is a credit to all the staff who have worked hard to deliver this in the face of unrelenting, often unwarranted, criticism. I am not complacent and will continue to monitor performance as ScotRail works hard to build the best railway Scotland has ever had.”