The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
New report states case for rail reopening strategy.
Campaigner claims Kingdom is long overdue new investment in network
A new report by campaigners across Fife has called on the council and the Scottish Government to back an ambitious rail re-opening strategy for the region.
The ground-breaking report entitled Breaking the Circle, which was published yesterday, demonstrates a united front towards a Fife-wide rail enhancement strategy.
It has been jointly produced by the Levenmouth Rail Campaign, the Newburgh Train Station Campaign, the St Andrews Rail Link Campaign (StARlink), Alloa Community Council, David Prescott of Allan Rail Solutions and Green Mid Scotland and Fife MSP Mark Ruskell,
The report stresses that Fife is long overdue new investment in rail, and that the opening of the new Queensferry Crossing could lead to a shift towards more car use if Fife’s rail network is not expanded to reflect growing demand.
It also calls for funding to be made available for feasibility studies into re-opening the Levenmouth Rail Link, St Andrews Rail Link, and the Dunfermline to Stirling line, as well as new stations at Newburgh and Halbeath.
Green MSP Mark Ruskell said: “I first began working on rail issues in Fife over 15 years ago, so in some ways it’s disappointing to see that little progress has been made.
“However, vibrant community campaigns in Levenmouth, Newburgh and St Andrews have kept the vision of a better rail service in Fife alive, and it’s time for Fife Council and the Scottish Government to get behind their calls for a modern, inclusive rail network.
“We’re putting forward a package of five new stations and lines which will significantly increase access to the rail network for thousands of households in Fife, as well as open up important freight routes that could take a significant amount of traffic off the kingdom’s roads.
“We’re asking for a mixture of city deal funding and support from the Scottish Government to fund the initial feasibility studies into these projects, and for the council to back this strategic vision for rail services.”
Noting the significant investment in the Borders and Lothians areas in recent years, the report contends it is “not an unreasonable time” for SEStran to focus on Fife – with the next ScotRail franchise due to be re-let in 2025. It also points out that four of the five projects use – or build on – existing rail assets, either reopening dormant lines and extending the rail network to significant centres of population, or providing additional local stations along existing lines.
Eugene Clarke, from the Levenmouth Rail Campaign, said: “Rail development has been piecemeal and ad hoc, but the fact that we’ve put together a strategy for the whole of Fife means that this can be part of a wider plan and it can be costed out over a while.”
Dita Stanis-Traken, secretary of the St Andrews Rail Link Campaign, added: “In addition to the badly-needed rail link to Scotland’s oldest university and global golfing mecca that is St Andrews, there are other campaigns working for a better rail system in Fife.
“It makes sense to incorporate these worthy proposals into an overall strategy rather than looking at each aspect in a piecemeal fashion: adopting
Adopting a Fife-wide approach will provide the area with a rail network fit for the 21st Century DITA STANIS-TRAKEN
a Fife-wide approach will result in more coherent services for passengers and will provide Fife with a rail network fit for the 21st century.”
Nigel Mullen, from the Newburgh Train Station Campaign, also welcomed what he described as an “excellent and concise” strategy report.
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “The Scottish Government is already actively supporting Fife Council in their aspirations for rail.
“We are providing support to the Council regarding the Levenmouth Sustainable Transport Study, the Longannet Strategic Transport Pre-Appraisal and City Region Deals for Edinburgh and Tayside.
“We have also met with several campaign groups who have aspirations to increase local connectivity to Scotland’s railway network.
“However, it’s the responsibility of the promoter of potential schemes to come forward with a clear and robust rationale for them, in line with Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance.”