Minister agrees to visit Leven as rail link campaign continues

Scotland’s new transport minister Michael Matheson has pledged to visit Leven to see the benefits reinstating the defunct rail link would bring to the area.

Mr Matheson said he recognised the importance to communities of reopening the line but that the issue had to go through “due process”.

Urging MSPs of all political parties with an interest in the issue to work together, the minister said he would do what he could to make sure progress continued to be made.

Mr Matheson was speaking in the Scottish Parliament in response to a question from mid Scotland and Fife Labour MSP Claire Baker, who asked for a meeting with him and other interested MSPs at the earliest opportunity to discuss the Levenmouth rail link campaign.

Mrs Baker said: “Levenmouth is the largest connurbation in Scotland that does not have a rail line and is in an area of below average car ownership.

“The campaign to reintroduce the rail link has the support of Fife Council and politicians from across all parties who are convinced it should be a priority investment for the government.”

Mid Fife and Glenrothes SNP MSP Jenny Gilruth, whose constituency includes Leven, invited Mr Matheson to the town to allow him to assess the potential benefits.

Agreeing to attend, the minister said: “I’m very aware of the very active campaign and the Levenmouth group who are keen to see the line reopened.

“I recognise the importance it can have to communities like Levenmouth and the benefits that can potentially come from the reopening of this particular line.”