Rail extension proposal goes before councillors

Published 10 Feb 2010 12:21 8 Comments

THE prospects of reopening a passenger rail service from Alloa to Dunfermline will be outlined in a report which goes before councillors tomorrow (Friday).

The report, prepared by engineering consultants Scott Wilson for the South East Scotland Transport Partnership (SEStran), examines four options for reopening the line:

l Option A - using the existing line from Alloa to Rosyth with passenger and freight services, with stops at Clackmannan, Kincardine and Cairneyhill and the Charlestown Chord in place. Services could be run hourly as an extension of the Glasgow-Stirling-Alloa service to Edinburgh and vice versa;

l Option B - as for option A but without the Charlestown Chord, which would require a switch-back operation and an additional rail service time of 15 minutes;

l Option C - using the existing line for freight, with a new express bus service along the A985, stopping at Clackmannan, Kincardine, Cairneyhill and onto Edinburgh;

l Option D - as for Option C but with a new express bus service along the A907, with stops at Clackmannan, Oakley and onto Edinburgh.

The report recommends Option A, identifying it as the most cost-effective, followed by Option B.

It adds that upgrading the line would cost £65 million and recommends that if Option A was taken forward, an operational assessment should be carried out to assess train path availability, as there is a shortage of rail capacity on the approaches to Edinburgh, and its possible impact upon journey times.

The reopening of the line is one of several proposals by SEStran which examine the improvement of "passenger transport connectivity" in south-east Scotland.

As the project is not listed for Scottish Government funding, the report states "it would be prudent for SEStran, together with Fife and Clackmannanshire, to engage in serious discussion with Transport Scotland how this project may sit relative to current STPR (Strategic Project Review) projects and what proposals there may be to review the STPR".

Councillor Eddie Carrick, Clackmannanshire's representative at SEStran, said he would be backing option one. "I organised the original meeting about 18 months ago on the back of the success of the Glasgow to Alloa passenger service," he added. "I asked if they could complete the loop through to Rosyth and Dunfermline. It would help the Zeebrugge ferry and I think it would stimulate the east coast economically.

"That thinking is stronger now because of the huge success of the line to Alloa."

Mr Carrick went on to say he realised the rail extension would be behind projects already identified, such as the Glasgow Airport rail link. He continued, "I believe there are as many people from Clackmannanshire wanting to go to Edinburgh as there are going to Glasgow. There are also a lot of people who would travel into Fife.

"I think its five to 10 years away from happening but you have to start somewhere."

West Fife Villages SNP councillor Bill Walker said he "wholeheartedly welcomed" the news, saying there was a positive case for reopening and upgrading the line. He said, "The line would have to be technically upgraded but this has already been done between Alloa and Kincardine for coal trains delivering to Longannet power station."

He added, "The recently reopened line from Alloa to Stirling and beyond has resulted in passenger usage through to Glasgow being four times higher than that originally planned.

"The report suggests that the hourly direct Glasgow passenger service could be extended right through to Kincardine, Cairneyhill and Rosyth.

"Fife commuters would benefit plus this would also help to attract visitors into Fife."

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• 

  Chris
  Unregistered User
  Feb 11, 08:37
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  If this study is looking at ways to reopen the railway line eastwards, how in heaven's name can two of the options (C and D) suggest using busses and not trains? A and B are the only options.
  
  The sooner these plans (option A) are costed and implemented the better.
  
  Recommend?   Yes 0     No 0

• 

  GAR
  Unregistered User
  Feb 11, 12:39
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  This is an excellent idea that Alloa Central brought up with John Yellowleas to his vist to the Community COuncil Meeting. However, I am surprised at the use of buses. This is a train service so where do the buses fit in.
  
  Comon guys, get your act together. Are we getting a rail service east or not!
  
  Option A is my choice.
  
  Recommend?   Yes 0     No 0

• 

  Jimmy Neebur
  Unregistered User
  Feb 11, 16:47
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  Ah wis initially surprised tae see the mention of buses tae, but ah can only imagine that they are presentin alternative means. Fur example, if a new bus service wid dae the job then why upgrade the line at a cost of £65million. As a tax payer ah want the relevant authorities tae explore AW options tae give us best value. That way they dinnae fritter money away on summit that might no be necessary. Consider the use of buses aye, but hopefully the rail options will win through given the popularity of the trains tae Stirlin. On that basis, ah think this report is probably hittin the mark jist fine.
  
  Recommend?   Yes 0     No 0

• 

  Hazelkaye
  Unregistered User
  Feb 11, 17:46
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  A bus is a bus, express or otherwise!
  
  This rail extension to Dunfermline/Edinburgh is LONG OVERDUE!
  
  The outstanding success of the Alloa rail-reopening (and that at Laurencekirk) speaks volumes!
  
  Recommend?   Yes 0     No 0

• 

  Spaceman
  Unregistered User
  Feb 11, 20:20
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  Why nae try the bus fae alloa tae the park un ride in fife to see haw it goes like
  
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• 

  Dr. W. Riggs
  Unregistered User
  Feb 11, 22:10
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  Re: Alloa - Dunfermline rail services
  
  I no longer live in the area but was interested to follow the re-opening of the Alloa railway. (I travelled to Tillicoultry and Dollar in steam days!)
  
  Regarding extension of services (e.g. to Dunfermline, at least) I would observe the following.
  
  The restored SAK line includes parts of two distinct former routes. The section from Stirling to Alloa is part of the former double-track main line from Stirling to Dunfermline and Fife. This line closed to passengers in 1968. The section from Alloa to Kincardine is part of the Alloa-Kincardine-Dunfermline branch line, which closed to passengers very much earlier, in 1930. On the main line, the journey time from Stirling to Dunfermline was about 30 minutes. If the main line existed today, a limited stop Dunfermline-Glasgow journey of just under an hour might be possible.
  
  The main Stirling-Dunfermline line was not apparently on the original ‘Beeching' closure list. (Nor, incidentally, was the direct main line from Edinburgh to Perth via Dunfermline and Kinross.) Although the eastern end of the Stirling-Dunfermline line, which passed through the former Dunfermline Upper station, did not completely close until as recently as 1993, the track-bed has subsequently (and, it would appear short-sightedly) been built over and destroyed within Dunfermline.
  
  Today, short of restoring the main line and providing a completely new east-south link near Dunfermline, rail services east of Alloa would have to use the curvaceous, single-track coastal freight route through Kincardine, which would be unlikely to support a frequent or fast service to Dunfermline. Also, for Edinburgh, a new east-south curve would be required at Charleston since the remaining Kincardine line joins the line from the Forth Bridge at a north-facing junction.
  
  In short, it appears that major investment (perhaps similar to that for the upper Forth road crossing) would be required properly to restore main line passenger rail services east of Alloa.
  
  But, then, could the recently reconstructed Alloa line support increased services? It is noticeable that, although the Stirling-Alloa section has been built as mostly single track on a former double-track alignment, some of the new drainage and signalling works appear to encroach on the former track-bed, which (without major rework) would appear to limit the potential for any future re-doubling to accommodate additional or more frequent services.
  
  A revived Stirling-Dollar service might be a more logical extension of the present single-line, hourly Alloa service.
  
  In this regard, it is perhaps also unfortunate that the new Alloa station has been built just east of the former junction with the Devon Valley line. The new Alloa station is thus in the wrong place for any future restoration of services to the Hillfoots, Tillicoultry and Dollar, which would require it to be moved back to its original location.
  
  But then, addressing all the above would have involved rather more forward planning!
  
  Yours, etc.,
  
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• 

  Shut Eye
  Unregistered User
  Feb 12, 02:52
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  For some reason I drifted off whilst reading this page.
  
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• 

  Hazelkaye
  Unregistered User
  Mar 6, 17:33
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  No further report on the council's decision!
  
  Recommend?   Yes 0     No 0

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