CRISIS-HIT rail operator Abellio is planning to spend almost £100,000 on a study to find out what the public thinks of ScotRail.
The move comes days after prices were increased on peak time services on its franchise.
The operator has announced it is embarking on a year-long “brand tracking” exercise to gauge passengers’ feelings towards its marketing campaigns.
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Abellio has come under intense criticism in recent months over a catalogue of late and cancelled services leading some campaigners and politicians to demand the firm is stripped of the ScotRail franchise by the government.
Last week Transport Minister Humza Yousaf promised to transform the service over the coming year with a number of track upgrades and increased seating on trains.
But documents have revealed that the operator’s first major investment of 2017 will be a market research exercise to measure how the public feels about the Abellio ScotRail brand.
The company has earmarked £90,000 for “brand tracking” and “marketing communications evaluation” activities to take place over the next 12 months.
Marketing companies claim such exercises allow businesses to monitor the health of their brand in the eyes of consumers.
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One MSP said public opinion towards the operator should be patently clear, given its recent string of crises.
Scottish Conservative chief whip John Lamont said: “Most passengers won’t think it takes £90,000 for ScotRail to get the feedback it needs.
“Everyone in Scotland knows how bad the trains are, and the operator should too.
“Commuters would much rather see this cash going towards improving conditions on train, reducing cancellations and ensuring they arrive on time.”
Details of the expenditure were revealed as Abellio ScotRail Ltd put a 12-month contract for “brand tracking and marketing communications evaluation” out to tender.
Abellio, which was awarded a £7 billion, 10-year contract last year to run ScotRail services, has come under heavy criticism in recent months for a litany of delays, crowded carriages and cancelled services across the country.
To compound the misery for passengers, the price of tickets for peak-time services increased by 1.9 per cent last week, while fares for off-peak trains increased by 0.9 per cent.
Mr Yousaf has attempted to soften the blow to commuters with a £3 million scheme guaranteeing one week’s free travel to monthly and annual season ticket holders.
But critics pointed out that the vast majority of passengers would still face fare hikes, despite suffering from declining services.
Read more: Rail commuters face delays due to signalling fault
The operator said brand tracking, like its promise to increase seating capacity, was a part of its franchise commitment.
A ScotRail Alliance spokesman said: “The findings enable us to prioritise in the areas that matter most to our customers.
“It’s part of our franchise commitment to undertake this research.”
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