04.09.13
Wider economic benefit of ScotRail mapped
ScotRail generates £1.5bn economic impact for Scotland, a new study by the Fraser of Allender Institute shows.
The research identifies the operator’s impact on the economy, and found that First ScotRail enabled total employment of 59,615 people in 2012/13. It directly employs 4,700 people and each job supports an additional 1.45 jobs elsewhere.
Steve Montgomery, managing director of ScotRail, said: “ScotRail is an essential part of the fabric of this country and a key driver of Scotland’s economy.
“The Fraser of Allander’s report outlines the scale of the contribution the company makes, not just in economic terms but also via the major advances we’ve made since taking over the franchise. That includes major investment in enhancing services and facilities across the country and the great strides we’ve made in areas such as our environmental performance and our community activities.
“Clearly, our primary role is to deliver the best possible train service for our customers, connecting the communities we serve, and it’s gratifying to note that the extensive investment in people and technology we’ve made since 2004 is reflected in the significant performance improvements outlined in the report.”
Deputy first minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “The results of the study show the important role ScotRail plays in Scotland’s economy, providing thousands of jobs and essential services to travellers across the country.
“I’m also pleased to see ScotRail’s success in encouraging more and more people to use the railways in Scotland, with 83.3million journeys being made on its services last year.
“The Scottish Government is looking forward to working closely with ScotRail over the coming year as the eyes of the world look to Scotland’s exciting programme of events for 2014 that includes the Commonwealth Games, the Ryder Cup and a second Year of Homecoming.”
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