You’ve no doubt already seen that Scotrail has outperformed the rail services in England and Wales. Here’s the data again:
‘In the four weeks to 23 July 2017, 93.7 per cent of trains ran within the public performance measure (PPM). This compares to 91.1 per cent for the same period last year. Recent performance means the ScotRail Alliance’s moving annual average (MAA) – the annual performance standard – is now at 90.7 per cent. This performance is:
- Ahead of the improvement plan target of 90.5 per cent.
- 0.7 per cent higher than this time last year.
- 1.1 per cent higher than when the performance improvement plan was first introduced.
- Ahead of the annual performance standard of 87.9 per cent in England and Wales.’
https://www.scotrail.co.uk/about-scotrail/news/scotrail-alliance-outperforms-improvement-plan
I wrote about it as did Wings over Scotland where they expertly exposed big Labour fibs about it:
Scotrail outperforms services in England and Wales
https://wingsoverscotland.com/the-king-of-irony-world/
Now we hear from gov.scot:
‘The Scottish Government has restricted annual increases in fare costs to ensure Scotland has the lowest price increases in the UK. At the same time, we have introduced a number of initiatives to support passengers including offering a free week’s travel – equal to the cost of a rail fare freeze – which has been taken up by 90% of season ticket holders. While there has to be an increase in fares to support rail services our actions ensure the annual increase for key fares is never more than inflation and that any increase for off peak fares is always less than inflation. This allows us to continue to invest in improvements, to grow passenger numbers and to ensure rail travel is fair, affordable and an attractive alternative to travelling by car.’
So Scotrail is the best and the cheapest? Mind you, I feel the approach of an angry Scottish rail-user based on their personal experience.
https://news.gov.scot/news/ministerial-statement-on-january-rail-fares-increases
Talking-up Scotland 
Yes, those angry ScotRail users have already had a slot on the BBC Scotland lunchtime news bulletin.
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Did they mention that these are the lowest increases in Britain?
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Hm hm, I was thinking about this earlier, re people having a good moan, and don’t we just love a good moan, but there are lots of places where people can have a good whinge, and they do so, but this website isn’t really the place to do it, is it? It’s not just the articles that are talking up Scotland, it should be the comments too (where is Ludo?!). On that note, I should have taken my own advice before posting my last comment, luckily tucked away in a previous article where no one will find it 🙂
Yes, nothing is perfect, but we only hear about the bad side of everything from all other outlets, it would be nice to hear people’s own good experiences of the various subjects here. (Though that might be too much to ask when the subject is hedge fund managers).
I’ve caught up a tiny bit on other news, and I see that the ‘opposition parties’ are harping on about how terrible the Scottish government is/was for not releasing information from prince Charles and meetings with his Teach something charity – saying,,, (sigh, here we go again, I can barely be bothered to write it) ,,, that the Scottish government needs to release this information, and the monarchy should not have special privileges – eh? All MPs and MSPs have to swear allegiance to the monarchy, so if they request something be kept quiet,,, Utterly bizarre, they need to approach the monarchy not the Scottish government, or ask for constitutional change surely? The government followed protocol, but now they are being accused of, what? The system needs changed, and to be honest I’m surprised that these opposition parties even dredged such a thing up, they surely must be incredibly bored, or incredibly unwise. Could you see a libdem government releasing all communications related to the monarchy? Very unlikely I’d have thought. I should say that I’m not a supporter of the monarchy as an institution, but while its there, you can hardly accuse anyone of doing wrong while appropriately following the correct protocol.
Hmm, that was a wee bit moany there, I’ll work on it.
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I’m in complete agreement with your moan.
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Hi John – Hi Contrary – Hi all. I managed to ‘lose’ a post I was working on by a moment’s inattention! – Silly fellow that I am.
Will try and introduce a further note of positivity (although with John’s output of the past few days I’m positively (geddit?) reeling already!) John – you have been surpassing yourself of late.
Did anybody notice the interesting story on the beeb South of Scotland page re. the Scottish venison deer farmer who has identified a potentially very useful market in China? (read and wonder below):
A shipment of red deer antlers has started a 35-day journey from a south of Scotland farm to the Far East.
It left Rupert Shaw’s Gledpark Farm in Borgue on Friday for Grangemouth before travelling by sea to Hong Kong.
Producers of Chinese medicine have valued Scottish red deer antlers at up to £16 per kilogram.
Future shipments are planned in what Mr Shaw said could prove to be a “very valuable market” for farmers already producing venison.
Having identified a potential buyer for the antlers through his website, a year-long process saw the Dumfries and Galloway farmer go on to secure the necessary export licence for the load and the complete the deal.
Most of the red deer antlers in the shipment came from Gledpark’s herd of farmed red deer with several other Scottish venison producers contributing antlers to fill the container.
Antlers, exclusively found on stags, are cast annually and can be collected.
Mr Shaw, who is also NFU Scotland’s regional chairman in Dumfries and Galloway, said: “Although it is early days, the potential demand for Scottish deer antlers in Chinese medicinal products could represent a very valuable market for those who are already producing venison, or are planning to keep deer in the future.
“At current prices of up to £16 per kilogram of antler, and many adult stags casting a set of antlers that could weigh more than 15 kilograms, there is a valuable return to be gained if we can secure a foothold in this market.”
I wonder if there was any input from SNP Scottish Govt agencies during the “..year-long proceess…to secure the ncessary export licence..”? Certainly none that the beeb saw fit to mention.
Doubtless Ms. Bird will shortly be reporting this development (on a tea-time news programme near you) as having happened “..in spite of..” the SNP Scottish Govt.
Also noticed (in a Motherwell Times article) that the much reported (in the Brit Nat media) death of the Scottish housing market resulting from the SNP Scottish Govt introduction of the Land and Buildings Transfer Tax seems to have been somewhat of an exageration. (Now there’s a surprise).
The latest House Price Index shows that Scottish house sales in April were up 16%:
The index also shows the volume of residential sales in Scotland in April 2017 was 7,908, an increase of 16% on April 2016 but down 14.2% on the previous month of this year.
The figures compare with annual increases in sales volumes of 1.6% in England, 9.9% in Wales and 5% in Northern Ireland.
Kenny Crawford, business development and information director at the Registers of Scotland, said: “Sales volumes figures for April 2017 showed an increase in Scotland of 16% when compared with April 2016. However, volumes in April 2016 were lower than usual, a possible effect of the introduction of changes to the Land and Buildings Transaction Tax that came into effect on April 1 2016.”
In other words – the market experienced a short blip as (wealthier) buyers rushed to beat the introduction of the (fairer)LBTT so there was a short ‘surge’ followed by a short ‘dip’.
Everybody with half a brain could work that one out. However, the ‘Scottish’ media and Better Together politicos have been boring us rigid for months with their dirges on the death of the Scottish housing market.
Do you think Ruth and Kez will be singing the praises of the SNP Scottish Govt now the market is rectifying itself? – No – me neither.
Cheers, Ludo
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Great stuff Ludo. Better dropped off antlers than chopped off rhino horns. Maybe I should try some powdered antler in my tea?
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I was thinking exactly the same thing about the antlers, if it is a replacement for rhino horns, it’s doubly good! Not sure about putting any in your tea mind you,,, I know Chinese medicine has many interesting and good techniques, but drinking powdered antlers? Well, let us know how it tastes 🙂
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Staggering aroma but not stimulating. In fact felt in a rut. Oh, dear….
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Look at that, LollysMum has tweeted a link to this piece, and GAP has retweeted it. This is kind of like the same as your paper being referenced, when I think about it, a little bit of prestige? Maybe? I need to catch up with the modern digital social media driven world a bit better!
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LollysMum? Must check these out to reinforce my bloated ego
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Retail business figures are up, says the radio, food sales up for the previous month (obviously the rest of the report was negative). I am mentioning this because I have been wondering how much an increase in tourism may impact on import/export figures. The effect is probably not huge (I have no idea, so if anyone has an idea, please interrupt), but still you would expect that food imports would increase to feed the seething masses while there would be no ‘export’ to calculate. Tourism is a local economy-boosting effect, but the service industries providing for them could cause import figures to increase above export figures. Just adding to my thoughts on that Scotland’s surplus is vastly underestimated.
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Agreed
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Wait a minute; isn’t this about the trains?
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Um. Trains, yes… *clear of throat* yes, of course…
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