Train operator ScotRail remains below its punctuality target despite an improvement in its performance in recent weeks, new figures have shown.

As part of its franchise contract with the Scottish Government, Scot Rail is expected to ensure at least 91.3% of trains arrive within five minutes of the advertised time.

During the four weeks until January 7, 89.7% of trains arrived either on time or under five minutes late, a 6% improvement than the previous four weeks.

The figures also represent an improvement of 2.8% when compared to the same period last year.

The company's moving annual punctuality average now stands at 90%, the second best performance rating in the UK.

ScotRail Alliance managing director Phil Verster said: "These latest figures show that our performance improvement plan is starting to produce results for our customers and we are achieving this in the middle of the biggest upgrade to our railway since Victorian times.

"We can do more and we can go higher, and every single one of the 7500 people who work on Scotland's railway is committed to doing just that.

"The sheer scale of the work we are doing to improve the railway has resulted in more disruption than normal. This means that our customers have had to put up with a lot over the past few months.

"We have done everything we can to keep people moving during this unprecedented period. I hope our customers can take some encouragement from the continued improvement."

In recent months, transport secretary Humza Yousaf threatened the company's operators, Abellio, with being replaced by a public-sector body at the next available point if their performance does not improve.

The Scottish Government can break Abellio's contract in 2020, halfway through the company's contract with the devolved administration.