SCOTRAIL has pledged to compensate passengers for the "unacceptable service" provided to parts of Scotland in recent weeks - but Helensburgh's fed-up commuters are set to miss out. 

The transport firm released a message on Monday afternoon to "say sorry for our unacceptable service in parts of the country recently".

The statement continued: "As a gesture of goodwill, we’re offering extra compensation to season ticket holders on routes most affected by cancellations caused by train crew shortages."

Season ticket holders, accompanied by one extra person, on routes most affected by train crew shortages are being offered travel anywhere on ScotRail services for six specified weekends in March, April and May 2019.

However, despite disruption, cancellations and repeated instances of trains running with fewer carriages than planned, the Helensburgh Central route is not one of those covered by the compensation plan.

Routes covered by the offer include Glasgow Queen Street to Edinburgh via Cumbernauld, the Fife Circle, and Aberdeen to Inverness.

The announcement has already attracted criticism on social media, with one Twitter user commenting: "Helensburgh-Edinburgh line is a disgrace yet nothing for commuters who are regularly late to work, studies and appointment. This enrages me more than ScotRail ignoring the issue."

Meanwhile MSP Jackie Baillie said: "ScotRail are you not sorry for the disruption caused in Helensburgh, Balloch and Dumbarton? I hope this additional compensation is available for passengers in my patch too!"