Now trains teed up for fans at the Open
GOLF fans facing travel chaos during the Open Championship have been handed a lifeline after a UK Government-owned rail company put on extra services.
LNER stepped in following concerns about cuts to its timetable by ScotRail, which is under the ownership of the Scottish Government.
It will run an extra four services a day each way between Edinburgh Waverley and Dundee, which will each stop at Leuchars, the nearest station to the Open at St Andrews in Fife.
ScotRail is still running a reduced timetable, with around 700 services a day being axed, because of a pay row with drivers.
The Aslef trade union announced this week that its members have agreed to a new pay offer – but ScotRail doesn’t know when its full timetable will be reinstated.
Scottish Liberal Democrat deputy leader Wendy Chamberlain, MP for North East Fife, said: ‘I’m glad that LNER are stepping in to fill the gap left by ScotRail.
‘The Open is one of the biggest sporting events in the world, bringing in hundreds of thousands of visitors to St Andrews, yet the Scottish Government seem completely uninterested in whether it is a success.’
ScotRail has been advising people not to travel to the Open by train, and stressed that no replacement bus services will run.
SNP ministers have been heavily criticised for failing to act on the issue despite ScotRail coming under their control this year.
But in a surprise development yesterday, LNER, which operates the East Coast Mainline between London and Aberdeen, announced it would put on extra services for Open spectators.
David Horne, managing director at LNER, said: ‘This year’s event marks the 150th Open Championship at St Andrews, the home of golf. Many thousands of golf enthusiasts and their families are travelling from around the world to attend this prestigious event.
‘Our team has worked closely with Network Rail to arrange extra LNER services in addition to our full timetable to help those travelling to and from Leuchars for the occasion.
‘Without a doubt these services will be very popular so anyone planning to travel on one of these trains will need to reserve a seat.’
The Department for Transport said LNER laid on the extra trains with no government involvement.
A Transport Scotland spokesman said: ‘We welcome these additional services, which are good news for spectators.
‘This is a good example of the benefits of the strong partnership approach taken to planning for this prestigious event.’
Meanwhile, ScotRail yesterday confirmed that no trains will run after this weekend’s Gerry Cinnamon concert at Hampden Park.
Phil Campbell, ScotRail’s head of customer operations, said: ‘We’re working hard to restore the timetable to normal as soon as possible, but in the meantime, we’re urging customers to plan and check their travel options.’
‘These services will be popular’