A RAIL pressure group wants to restore the passenger train link between Alloa and Dunfermline and see new stations at Kelty, Kincardine, Culross, Valleyfield and Cairneyhill.

Railfuture Scotland’s bold vision includes the electrification of the Fife Circle line, trains to Glasgow in less than an hour and another new station at Halbeath Park and Ride. 

The independent campaign group wants the existing 27km freight route between Alloa and Dunfermline to be restored for passengers. 

That would enable Glasgow via Stirling, Alloa to Edinburgh services, via Dunfermline, Glenrothes and Kirkcaldy, to replace the Fife Circle service and give Fife a direct line to Scotland’s biggest city. 

Railfuture Scotland has also backed a part re-built, part new 41km line for a faster, direct connection between Perth and Dunfermline with a re-opened station at Kelty.

Roderick McDougall, vice-chair of Railfuture Scotland, said: “Whereas it is Network Rail’s job to look after and maintain the existing network and Scotrail’s job to operate passenger trains on it in accordance with their franchise, there appears to be no-one charged with looking at extending and improving the network. 

“This is a Government responsibility which they are shirking by passing it on to cash-strapped regional transport authorities and local councils without giving them either the authority or the financial ability to fulfil it.

"It is only pressure groups like ours that are trying to ‘kick start’ a renaissance in railway improvements.”

A Transport Scotland spokesperson said: “We are delivering the most ambitious programme of rail investment ever seen in Scotland, committing over £5 billion across the current funding period.

“We are willing to consider proposals for new services and stations where there is clear evidence of benefits, subject to affordability and a suitable business case being identified.

“As part of the Longannet Task Force Economic Recovery Plan, the Scottish Government has committed to fund half the cost of a comprehensive strategic transport appraisal, to be taken forward by Fife Council for the Fife and Clackmannanshire area, which will consider all transport modes to determine the most appropriate solutions.

“In March, the Scottish Government also announced funding for the retention of 13 additional trains which will allow us to deliver the largest programme of customer improvements in Scotland in a generation.

"This means ScotRail will have the capacity to run 200 more services carrying 20,000 more passengers per day, which will mean a significant increase in rail capacity for Fife.”