A CAIRNEYHILL man is petitioning the Scottish Government to bring passenger rail services back to the West Fife villages.

Martin Keatings (29), of Greycraigs, wants the return of the Forth Circle, which has been used in recent years for Longannet coal trains, to bring back a direct link and quicker access to the Alloa-Stirling lines.

Now, he has launched a petition to Holyrood asking for the service back and wants fellow West Fifers to make their voices heard.

“It’s something I looked at before,” he said. “I wrote to members of parliament years ago to see if it was possible but they said the prohibiting factor was Longannet. I decided to do something after the subsequent announcement that Longannet will close in March.

“It’s bad for the staff and I feel for them but it opens up other opportunities. If there was a shop on every platform in every West Fife village it could bring 10-20 new jobs. It would also give people in this area more direct access to Edinburgh and Glasgow.

“It’s something that’s been talked about for years. The line is already there and the only barrier to it being used was Longannet. I’m asking ‘why not?’ The infrastructure is already in place, all that’s required is the platforms. It makes sense and would give all of us in the villages better links to transport. It’s a win-win-win!

“Yes, it would require some expenditure in the beginning but ultimately it would be beneficial for everyone.” In the petition, Martin explains how the move would benefit both the villages and the larger area.

“Currently, getting to Glasgow using public transport involves getting a bus to Kincardine or Dunfermline and taking the appropriate lines from there,” he said. “Getting to Edinburgh means travelling to Dunfermline.

"For working people, the buses often add hours to journeys to and from Glasgow and Edinburgh. This does not take into account that several of the Fife coastal villages are preparing to expand, which will put further pressure on the infrastructure. A critical link between the Fife coastal villages and the major cities by rail would allow commuters to use rail transport – rather than a bus – in turn freeing up necessary space for commuters to Dunfermline.” He added, “For too long the transport links for the smaller villages have been a shambles. There are other benefits to be had including helping to reduce traffic flow between the Forth and Kincardine bridges, helping to take more cars off the road in smaller villages, speeding up travel time between Dunfermline and Stirling and on to Glasgow and ultimately helping to reduce CO2 emissions.” However, for any change to be made, Martin knows the petition needs signatures and he is urging people to consider the bigger picture and get involved.

“It’s not just Dunfermline – it will open up real-world advantages for the whole of Fife,” he said. “But if the petition doesn’t have any support then it’s no good.” To view the petition, visit http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/GettingInvolved/Petitions/ForthCircleRailLine Agree? Join the debate and post your comments below.