More than half of Scots support the devolution of Network Rail, a new survey suggests.

The organisation, which is responsible for maintaining rail infrastructure, is funded by Transport Scotland but is ultimately accountable to Westminster.

The Scottish Government has been pressing for its devolution, a suggestion which 60% of people polled backed.

The survey is part part of a wider study commissioned by Abellio, which was awarded the ScotRail franchise by Scottish Government agency Transport Scotland in 2015.

The study was authored by former Labour transport minister Tom Harris.

Mr Harris insisted Network Rail's devolution is "not a political issue", however.

"The public and political debate about the future of Scotland's railways has suffered from confusion about who is responsible for what," he said.

"This tends to lead to politicised solutions to any perceived problems which, more often than not, are informed by ideology rather than reality.

"This research, however, makes it clear that the public is focussed on operations rather than politics.

"Public support for the operational devolution of Network Rail is clear, with less than one-third favouring the status quo and six-in-ten favouring a clear structure under the control of the Scottish Government.

"This is not a political or constitutional issue. It is simply about how to best run our railways."

ScotPulse surveyed 1063 people as part of the survey commissioned by Abellio.