Extra carriages for West Fife rail commuters
Siew Peng Lee • Published 30 Jun 2011 07:39
17 Comments
WEST FIFE rail commuters got a bit more breathing space this week with extra carriages being introduced between Fife and Edinburgh.
From Monday, Scotrail began operating two additional carriages on the 5.56am service from Aberdeen to Edinburgh, which stops at Inverkeithing at 8.17am.
This is expected to bring some respite to commuters, who have had to battle overcrowded trains between the Kingdom and Edinburgh for years - the subject of a previous Press Crush Hour campaign.
A Scotrail spokesman said, "Until now, the service operated as a three-carriage train with 189 seats.
"The additional carriages offer another 136 seats.
"We are pleased to be offering more capacity, especially for people boarding at Leuchars and Cupar.
"This is an interim solution, delivered outwith our usual changes to timetables.
"We will continue to monitor the situation and look at a wider range of options to deliver more capacity from December 2012 across the Dundee-Fife-Edinburgh route which has been impacted by the withdrawal of the CrossCountry service."
On the same track, Mid-Scotland and Fife MSP John Park this week put down a motion at Holyrood calling for train operators to offer late-running, increased capacity services from Edinburgh during the festival in August.
During last year's festival, services to Inverkeithing were extended until 11.38pm, only half an hour beyond normal running times.
Now Mr Park has written to Steve Montgomery, managing director of Scotrail, to request that the company look into running services past midnight.
Mr Park said, "The Edinburgh festival period is one of the great cultural highlights of Scotland and it would be wrong to disadvantage those living outside of Edinburgh and the surrounding areas.
"Increased capacity and late-running rail services have been used in the past and I think this needs not only to be repeated but extended too, if people from across Scotland are to get as much from the festivals as they would like.
"I think it's right that we all get the opportunity to enjoy the great swell of culture and entertainment that the world brings to our doorstep ever year.
"Train operators can play a significant part in making this happen and this is why I have written to Scotrail's managing director requesting him to look urgently into doing so."
Have your say. Post a comment on this article.
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Capin Hook
Unregistered User
Jun 30, 09:34
Report commentAye it makes you laugh, each succesive Govt has been trying to get us out of our cars and into public transport, when we do the actual public transport system can't cope.........
Then we all get back into our cars again!
Recommend?
Yes 12
No 1
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Monet
Unregistered User
Jun 30, 11:10
Report commentDunfermline being ignored by Scotrail AGAIN! What good is a Leuchars and Inverkeithing train stops to those of us on the Dunfermline side of the Fife Circle - none as usual?
Recommend? Yes 12
No 1
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Paddy O Doors
Unregistered User
Jun 30, 12:39
Report comment....more to the point, where can you get parked at Inverkeithing to catch the 8.17 train?
Nowhere!
Another non-story here!
Recommend? Yes 18
No 3
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Bailseye
Unregistered User
Jun 30, 16:12
Report commentI cycle to work, nothing like fresh air in the gills to wake you up!!
Recommend? Yes 6
No 0
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******
Jul 3, 19:05
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Steam Train Clippie
Unregistered User
Jul 3, 23:23
Report commentKirkcaldy and Inverkeithing stops are placed for people to change trains for services from Dumfermline and Glenrothes, as well as for Kirkcaldy and Inverkeithing passengers. The journey time from Glenrothes North Junction to Inverkeithing via Dunfermline is longer than the direct route via Kirkcaldy. While it may increase passenger numbers on already busy trains (do we want that), the benefit of increased revenue would be cancelled out by the increased journey time.
Therefore:
Longer journeys + busier trains = even more folk take the car!
Recommend? Yes 2
No 1
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Chris
Unregistered User
Jul 4, 13:19
Report commentand when is the quality of the rolling stock we currently get going to improve? We're still running with the Jimmy Saville "let the train take the strain" 1970s locomotive. No doubt waiting for more Edinburgh to Glasgow hand-me-downs.
Recommend? Yes 1
No 0
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Angus
Unregistered User
Jul 4, 14:17
Report commentChris, the newest stock on Fife services (Class 170) also operate Edinburgh - Glasgow services, as well as service to Dundee, Aberdeen and Inverness.
The 1970s train you refer to is still one of the best in the UK, with its number of seats, ample legroom and 125mph capability. It's been refurbished so many times, I doubt people realise how old it is!
Recommend? Yes 1
No 2
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Ivor the engine
Unregistered User
Jul 4, 19:11
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Thomas the Tank
Unregistered User
Jul 4, 19:22
Report commentCasey Jones! Jeez that takes me, I loved his hat.
Recommend? Yes 5
No 0
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******
Jul 4, 19:30
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Princess Fiona
Unregistered User
Jul 4, 20:43
Report commentMaybe they've put on a extra carriage and taken U.J. to Far far away land :-)
Recommend? Yes 9
No 0
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I agree with Jan
Unregistered User
Jul 5, 14:13
Report commentWell done to Scotrail for recognising the importance of Inverkeithing as the major transport hub in west fife.
If only it were matched by Fife Council's Transportation Department.
As it has been noted by others here, it is impossible to get parked at either of the Inverkeithing station car-parks after 08:15, and this during the school holidays as well.
Meanwhile FCTD continues to push for another "Park-and-Choose" at Halbeath, when the current Ferrytoll carpark which, although busy, is rarely full while ignoring the chronic parking situation at Inverkeithing. Everything they have done recently has only made it worse.
Do they have a hidden agenda against rail travel?
One full train carriage means one less bus stuck in traffic.
DP - you need to investigate this
Recommend? Yes 1
No 2
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Princess Fiona
Unregistered User
Jul 5, 16:55
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Princess Fiona
Unregistered User
Jul 5, 17:10
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Princess Fiona
Unregistered User
Jul 5, 17:20
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Princess Fiona
Unregistered User
Jul 5, 17:27
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******
Jul 5, 20:00
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******
Jul 5, 21:23
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******
Jul 5, 21:36
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Jul 5, 21:52
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Casey Jones
Unregistered User
Jul 6, 14:23
Report comment -
Ulysees
40 posts
Jul 10, 22:06
Report commentSo, let me see if I've got this right as I admittedly don't frequenlyt use public transport:
I pay my £x.xx to travel to and from work using public transport and for that price I expect to have a seat and to travel in relative comfort and peace between my start point and my destination. It would appear that at peak times I'm paying to stand for my entire journey and have to endure the accompaniment of sometimes undesirable individuals infringing into my personal space!
And now (joy of joys) Scotrail inform us they're going to supply us with two additional carriages providing an additional 136 seats (this makes the news) and we're expected to be grateful for this !!!!
Honestly - is it any ******* wonder the majority elect to take their cars rather than use the joke of a service provided to us at peak times? I'd rather sit in the comfort of my own vehicle, listening to the radio, staring at the car in front than use the pathetic public transport service we have at present!
Recommend? Yes 3
No 0
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