Published: Wednesday, 2nd April, 2008 12:00
Train services return to Alloa on 19 May
By Jamie MacDonald
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The train station will open next month.
OFFICIAL confirmation that passenger train services will return to Alloa next month has finally been received.
Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson announced on Thursday that the Stirling-Alloa-Kincardine (SAK) rail link will officially open on Monday 19 May – despite the team responsible for the project previously insisting it would not be operational until “early summer”.
The project team had caused confusion by claiming that the revised programme for the SAK railway was on schedule for “completion in Spring 2008 and opening in Summer 2008”.
Yet everyone else appeared to be working towards the line opening on the weekend of 17/18 May – the project promoter Clackmannanshire Council has planned a celebratory fayre for that weekend and JMB Consultants, the company given the responsibility of integrating bus and rail services, confirmed it was working towards the date of 18 May.
Now, however, it’s full steam ahead for 19 May following Mr Stevenson’s announcement.
The official opening ceremony will take place on Thursday 15 May, with the council’s community fayre on Saturday 17 May before passenger services begin on Monday 19 May.
No Messin’
In addition to this, Network Rail has confirmed that its highly successful ‘No Messin’ Live!’ event – which offers young people a variety of sports and activities while teaching them about the dangers of the railway – is set to return to Alloa in July.
Confirming the date of the rail way line’s opening, the Transport Minister said, “I am delighted that the official opening of this railway will take place on 19 May.
“Last May, when I came into office, this project had many potential problems relating to cost and timescale.
“This Government vowed to deal with these issues and we have managed to ensure that this railway achieved best value for money and opened at the earliest opportunity to the benefit of commuters.
“The project is one the largest of its kind undertaken in Scotland in recent years and it will bring substantial benefits both to residents of Clackmannanshire and businesses using the freight facilities.
“I would like to thank local residents for their patience and cooperation through the construction of the railway.”
The full commissioning of the railway was due to be completed this week, with a period of driver training taking place before full operations commence.
The Stirling-Alloa-Kincardine rail link brings back into use 13 miles of existing, disused and abandoned railway line between Stirling Station and Longannet Power Station in Kincardine.
Direct hourly passenger services will operate between the newly-built station in Alloa and Stirling and Glasgow Queen Street.
The line will also provide a more efficient freight route to carry coal from the West of Scotland to Longannet Power Station and potentially provide freight services to other customers along the line.
This new route will allow freight trains to be diverted from the existing, longer route via the Forth Rail Bridge, releasing capacity for improved passenger services on this route.
Clackmannanshire Council leader Janet Cadenhead expressed her delight that a date had finally been set for the opening of the railway.
She said, “The council has pursued its dream of bringing rail back to the county for two decades and I am delighted that our dream will become a reality within a matter of weeks.
“I’m excited that the day I can jump on a train at Alloa, for business and pleasure, is nearly here.
Resurgence
“In recent times Clackmannanshire has seen a tremendous resurgence in economic activity and this major development can only add to our regeneration, connecting people with jobs, education and new opportunities, and opening Clackmannanshire up to the world.
“The travelling public of Clackmannanshire will soon be offered a new choice on their doorstep that they’ve been denied for 40 years, which should also have a positive knock-on environmental impact.”
Britain’s largest rail freight operator, EWS, also welcomed the announcement of the opening of the rail line running through to Longannet Power Station.
A spokesperson for EWS said the rail link from Stirling to Kincardine would provide much needed additional rail capacity across the rail network in central Scotland.
Switch
He added, “This will see coal trains switched from the existing Forth Bridge route to the new route via Alloa. Other freight trains will also be able to use the new rail route via Alloa.”
Meanwhile, Network Rail will return to the county on 23 and 24 July with its No Messin’ Live! campaign to ensure that children in Clackmannanshire understand the importance of safety on the railway.
Last July’s two-day No Messin’ Live! event attracted around 3000 children to Lornshill Academy to try their hands at a variety of sports and activities, including motorbiking, judo, dancing, paintball, art and DJing, whilst teaching kids how to stay out of danger near the rail line. There were also football coaches from Alloa, Rangers and Celtic football clubs there on the day.
A spokesperson for Network Rail told the Advertiser, “Last year Alloa was the best attended of all the No Messin’ events in the country. Following the success and massive response to last year’s event we will be returning. This year’s event will be even more relevant with the railway now opening.”
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