IAIN SMITH BACKS LEVEN RAIL LINK

5.41.58pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 24th Apr 2008

North East Fife MSP Iain Smith has given his backing to proposals to reopen the Leven - Thornton railline to passenger trains.

Supporting the proposal in a debate in the Scottish Parliament, Iain Smith said:

"A Leven Station though not in my constituency, would also open up the most isolated part of Fife, the East Neuk, which is in my Constituency. Provided the new station at Leven came with park and ride and good integrated bus links, it will provide a real alternative for my constituents seeking to access the rail network.

"This will provide a significant boost for the economy of the East Neuk, providing better access to employment and education markets and opening up the East Neuk for tourists who do not have their own car.

"Of course there are other enhancements to the rail network in Fife that I would also like to see.

"A rail halt at Newburgh on the Perth to Edinburgh line; a park and ride halt at Wormit.

"And we should not forget the desire to see the re-establishment of a rail link to St Andrews to serve in particular the student population and tourists.

However, Iain Smith questioned whether these rail enhancements could be delivered without investments to increase the capacity of the rail network, particularly the Edinburgh Airport Rail link, scrapped by the SNP Government.

"EARL would have created more capacity. No Earl means no more capacity. Extra stops at an extra station required by the Government's alternative proposals will cut capacity on an already congested line." Iain Smith concluded.