CLAIRE Baker has called for ScotRail to make their New Year resolution an improvement of services on the Fife Circle.

The call came after the Mid Scotland and Fife MSP spoke with Alex Hynes, ScotRail’s Managing Director, to raise constituents' complaints after being inundated with emails and social media posts about Fife services which have seen trains failing to stop at certain stations including Cardenden and many cancellations.

The Kelty born Scottish Labour MSP has been campaigning for some time for better services and earlier this year held an innovative Facebook Live event at ScotRail’s offices in Glasgow so constituents could put their concerns directly to rail management.

Fife Services have faced a year of delays, cancellations, short-forming and old carriages.

It has culminated in recent weeks with a rail dispute between RMT and ScotRail resulting in staff shortages, the introduction of the new timetable and Fife services being particularly hit with cancellations.

Following the conversation with ScotRail, Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, said: “Throughout 2018 we have seen ScotRail underperforming in Fife culminating in the unacceptable delivery of the service in recent weeks and it is commuters from Fife that are suffering most of all.

“I have been inundated with complaints from constituents. In a busy political year, it has regularly been the number one issue that I have had to deal with".

She added: “ScotRail must make improving services on the Fife Circle their New Year’s Resolution. We cannot have another year of continuing to pay over the odds for a terrible service.

“I am pleased to see that other political parties have woken up to poor state of our railway. During a recent debate in Parliament on ScotRail, I was the only one to raise constituents' complaints.

“The SNP and Conservatives have a decision to make. Only a couple of months ago they joined together and voted against Labour’s plans to break ScotRail’s contract.

“Instead the Scottish Government have given ScotRail a free pass, allowing them to fall below the breach level in their contract until the middle of next year.

“Rather than taking action, the SNP would rather take a photo. Commuters know their words ring as hollow as the previous ScotRail’s pledges to get the service back on track.

“We need to see action in 2019 and I will continue to hold Scotrail to account. Commuters in Fife deserve better.”