East coast rail cuts hit buffers

Plans to reduce rail services through Angus, Dundee and Fife have been scrapped.

Train operator CrossCountry confirmed it has withdrawn proposed timetable changes that would have resulted in four of the six services operating between Aberdeen and Edinburgh being cut from December.

That would mean fewer services for Inverkeithing, Kirkcaldy, Markinch, Ladybank, Cupar, Leuchars, Dundee, Arbroath, Montrose and Stonehaven.

A CrossCountry spokesman said: “After discussions between the Department for Transport and Transport Scotland, it became clear that ScotRail would be unable to replicate these services at this time, so it was agreed there would be no changes to CrossCountry’s Scottish timetables from this December and further discussion would take place to agree the future of these services.”

Transport Scotland said the decision was taken after transport minister Humza Yousaf wrote to UK rail minister Paul Maynard.

Mr Yousaf said: “I was not prepared to let these crucial business and social links disappear and that is why I raised the matter personally.”

He said an agreement is now in place so Transport Scotland is fully consulted to ensure future proposed changes are “mutually acceptable”.

Scottish Liberal Democrat transport spokesman Mike Rumbles MSP said his party had been instrumental in securing the services.