ScotRail temporarily halts 7.28am Elgin-Inverness train service after huge drop in passenger numbers

AN ELGIN to Inverness morning train service has been temporarily halted due to a dramatic drop in passenger numbers.

Train operator ScotRail is reviewing December services after an 80 per cent fall in the number of people using its trains amid the pandemic restrictions.

As a result, the 7.28am service running from Elgin to Inverness has been temporarily suspended. ScotRail says it will be reinstated when passenger numbers "return to normal".

There was also some confusion among regular train users, many of them key workers at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness, after another service, the 7.06am train on the route, recently disappeared from timetables.

However, ScotRail said the 7.06am service will keep running and will reappear on timetables as soon as the operator has confirmed the full details of December schedules.

A ScotRail spokesperson said: "Across all routes, passenger levels are down by around 80 per cent for this time of year because of the coronavirus pandemic and that means we are reviewing the level of service we will be providing in December.

"While our timetable plans have yet to be finalised, we can confirm the 07.06 Elgin to Inverness will not be suspended.

"The 07.28 has been taken off temporarily due to the large fall in the numbers of passengers travelling on ScotRail."

The spokesperson added: "We hope the reduction in passenger demand will last for a short period of time and services can quickly be reinstated.

"We will be letting customers know soon what changes they can expect to services in December."

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