No need to relocate Invergowrie station

Sir, - I refer to Dundee City Council’s plan for the relocation of Invergowrie station with provision of a park and ride at Dundee West (Riverside).

I suggest these plans be reconsidered due to changed circumstances since originally put forward in 2009/2010.

These include: soon-tobe-introduced driverless technology; the redevelopment of Dundee central railway station; a ban on the sale on petrol/diesel cars and vans from 2032 onwards in Scotland and 2040 in the rest of the UK.

It is questionable whether park and ride will be required if lowcost driverless taxi services will be available, and if private cars can be sent home driverless from the railway station.

Plans requiring capital expenditures for a new station (Dundee West) and the replacement of parkland by some acres of park and ride tarmac that might become a white elephant should be reconsidered.

Dundee’s central railway station (redeveloped at a cost of £28 million) together with a low-cost driverless taxi service can deliver most of the identified requirement.

Improved road access to Invergowrie station together with a low-cost driverless taxi service could deliver the rest.

It is not necessary to close Invergowrie and build a new station 1.5km from it.

We should wait for an understanding of how this new era of driverless electric road transportation will develop before committing to new capital expenditure on railway stations. Hugh Levins. 596 Perth Road, Dundee.

Invergowrie railway station is subject to a relocation proposal.