A transport operator in Scotland spent almost £120,000 retrofitting new subway trains after passengers complained that the service was too wobbly.
Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT), operator of the Glasgow Subway, splashed out to stabilise the fleet by fitting over 100 dampers to carriages.
The 17 new train cars launched last year as part of a £288 million revamp of Glasgow’s underground rail system.
In the new fleet, features include a walk-through design, air conditioning and greater wheelchair accessibility.
The multimillion modernisation programme started in 2016 to upgrade deteriorating Metro-Cammell trains, which had been in service for 44 years.
A freedom of information request by The Scotsman revealed that SPT paid £119,256.80 for the installation of 102 renewed dampers. The figure includes all technical work, the supply of new materials and installation.
Passengers had officially complained to SPT that they had been “thrown about” in the new subway carriages.
A commuter wrote on X/Twitter that the new trains “rattle about a lot more”.
The train dampers are devices designed to reduce the vibrations and noise in trains for smoother journeys on the service known as “The Clockwork Orange”.
According to SPT, the trains met all required safety standards and the dampers were added to improve “ride quality”.
An SPT spokesperson said: “Following feedback from some passengers, SPT paid for the retrofitting of dampers to be added to the new train fleet to improve the ride quality of the trains in the system.
“While what the train manufacturer delivered met the applicable standards set for trains, we requested the additional dampers be added to further improve the ride.”
It added to The Scotsman: “The price was quoted without VAT as SPT is able to reclaim the VAT amount and therefore it is cost neutral from SPT’s perspective.”
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