The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Invergowrie’ s back on track as hourly village rail service is restored
People in Invergowrie have welcomed the planned return of their first hourly service to Dundee and Perth since the mid 1980s.
Travellers in the Perthshire village were one of the few winners when ScotRail recently announced a consultation on its new timetable from May 22 next year.
The Invergowrie station narrowly escaped closure in 1985 when neighbouring Errol got the axe.
Travellers in the village say it has suffered from a sporadic train service ever since.
Electronics engineer Peter Scott, 38, and his 18-month-old daughter Elizabeth were among those to welcome the planned changes.
“I was aware there were efforts being made (to increase services) and I am very pleased to see it come to fruition,” he said.
He said his daughter was only three months old when the lockdown began and he was looking forward to using the improved service for family trips.
“Not only for Dundee but for going to Perth and Glasgow in the opposite direction,” he added.
“I like to say thank you very much (to ScotRail). It’s a huge boost to the local community and it is very much appreciated.”
The soon-to-be Scottish Government-run rail operator wants to cut 300 services in a bid to tackle a £243 million annual deficit.
But Invergowrie residents could be among those to benefit from additional services included in the Fit for the Future plans for post-pandemic rail services.
Retired NHS admin worker Val Beveridge said the more regular service would help her travel to Dundee, Aberdeen and beyond. But she said train prices were still too high for retired people.
She said: “ScotRail need to do more to encourage people to use the trains. It’s a wasted facility otherwise. A lot more retired people would use it.”
Commuters in Perth have criticised the wider plans for the effect on connectivity in the Fair City.
Councillor Alasdair Bailey campaigned for better rail links in the Carse of Gowrie.
He said: “It’s fantastic to see Invergowrie is poised to get its hourly train back as part of these proposals.
“It was as though the powers that be never really wanted Invergowrie station to survive.
“More recently the idea of moving the station to Dundee Airport was mooted. Now we have this fantastic news.”