Bid to open two stations

A £ 2million pot of government cash could help in a new bid to reopen Cumnock railway station - after a gap of 53 years.

Trains trundle past the town - and Mauchline - every day but only stop at Auchinleck and New Cumnock.

The money is being put up by the Scottish government’s Local Rail Development Fund and applications need to be in by May 18.

Town community councillor Peter Black is now rallying for support from East Ayrshire Council to make a formal bid for the money.

He said: “Cumnock has missed out when other towns in the central belt have got their stations back. I think we should be next in line.”

Peter commutes 90 minutes by bus to his university job in Glasgow and added: “People should have a choice in Cumnock and in Mauchline too.

“There are thousands of people who don’t have a car who are within walking distance of the old stations.”

He’s hoping a joint bid involving Mauchline can be made and he has lobbied MSP Jeane Freeman to influence the corridors of power at Holyrood.

A government spokesman said: “This new fund will enable local communities to appraise and potentially bring forward proposals aimed at tackling very specific, local rail connectivity issues.

“Investing in this appraisal work will allow us to consider these local priorities when planning future investment in our railways.”

Key to the campaign reopen Cumnock Railway Station is that the frequency of diesel trains on the Kilmarnock- Dumfries line is increased.

It is estimated a Cumnock rail halt would see around 200,000 passengers a year, while another 120,000 would use a reopened station in Mauchline.

And one expert said: “We reckon that every journey of less than 20 miles to the nearest employment centre should be running on a 15- minute timetable.

“The employment and social opportunities are immense.”

Services to Mauchline and Cumnock, on the main Glasgow to Dumfries line through Kilmarnock, were withdrawn in the Beeching cuts of the mid 1960s.

The last engine stopped in the towns on December 6, 1965 after more than 100 years of rail travel.

And while stations in Auchinleck and New Cumnock were reinstated in the late 80’ s and early 90s, Mauchline and Cumnock have continued to be ignored by rail chiefs.

Jeane Freeman said: “I fully support any improvement to the Dumfries – Kilmarnock line, I am particularly keen to see an increased frequency of trains use the line serving New Cumnock and Auchinleck and have raised these matters with the Transport Minister.

“It is my understanding that East Ayrshire Council are preparing a bid for the Local rail development fund and they have my full backing on this.”