HUNDREDS of trains through Barrhead and Neilston are cancelled each year, a new report reveals.

Routes including those through Barrhead saw 619 trains cancelled in 2018 and 394 last year.

Around 55 were partly cancelled in 2018, worsening to 74 in 2019.

But far more – 1,812 trains – were more than five minutes late in 2018, with another 1,355 services suffering the same fate last year.

Data released to the Scottish Green Party revealed the difficulties being faced by ScotRail passengers.

The Scottish Government is stripping the rail franchise from parent company Abellio three years early because of its performance.

Councillor Paul Aitken, who represents Barrhead, Liboside and Uplawmoor, said: “Although this isn’t a matter falling within the council’s remit, it is nevertheless interesting to read these figures.

“Barrhead commuters depend on these train services to get to work. It is not surprising to see how poorly ScotRail and Network Rail have been performing.

“Maybe it is time for the Scottish Government to look into taking both of these functions back under public control.”

Scottish Greens MSP Ross Greer, whose West of Scotland remit covers East Renfrewshire, added: “The huge number of cancellations and delays experienced by passengers in Barrhead and Neilston is totally unacceptable and shows the need for significant investment in Scotland’s railways.

“After decades of cuts and under-investment, our rail network is barely coping and it is passengers and the planet suffering because of it.

“We deserve the kind of quality public transport that almost all of our European neighbours have.”

Trains on routes including Neilston were cancelled 950 times in 2018 and 639 times last year.

Another 256 were part cancelled two years ago, with 251 affected last year.

A total of 2,748 were more than five minutes late on the route in 2018, improving to 2,018 last year.

But Transport Focus said its National Rail Passenger Survey found increased satisfaction from commuters.

Chief executive Anthony Smith added: “Passengers in Scotland have felt the benefit of investment and stabilised performance.”

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