The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
No support for rail link from SNP criticised
Party’s candidate for the area has vociferously campaigned for ‘essential’ link
The SNP has been criticised for failure to support reinstatement of the rail link to Levenmouth in its manifesto.
The party’s pledge makes no mention of reopening the five-mile line between Leven and Thornton, despite its candidate for the area backing the campaign.
Levenmouth Rail Campaign (LMRC) and chairman of Fife Council’s Levenmouth area committee, Councillor Tom Adams, were backed by the Scottish Greens in voicing dissatisfaction.
Kirkcaldy constituency SNP candidate David Torrance has spoken out in favour of the connection and its economic benefits and he insisted yesterday he would push for it if returned to parliament.
Mr Adams said: “Given that the potential MSP has been quite vociferous on the topic, why isn’t this in the manifesto? I’m very, very disappointed that it’s not included. Fife Council has done a lot of work with the LMRC.”
Campaign chairman Eugene Clark said: “It is disappointing to see that they haven’t made an express commitment but they do talk about improving infrastructure generally so we are not entirely despondent and we hope it might come out in the detail.”
Activists were joined in Leven yesterday by Scottish Greens candidate Mark Ruskell, who said: “The route is essential for connecting Levenmouth to the rest of Fife and beyond, enabling local people to access a wider jobs market, bringing in tourists and new business opportunities while taking freight off our congested roads and back onto rail. Years of warm words from other parties are not good enough, we need action and that’s exactly what I will drive if elected back to Holyrood.”
Mr Torrance responded: “I fully support the campaign to reopen the Levenmouth rail link, which could improve journey times for residents and would be a significant boost for local transport infrastructure and the economy of the area. Fife Council, as the promoter of the project, has undertaken an appraisal of the scheme and it is incumbent upon it to keep moving the project forward and ensure there are no more unnecessary delays. I will continue to give my backing to the campaign”