A FIFE MSP has called for ScotRail to improve services after showing "total disregard" for residents in a West Fife community.

Villagers have raised concerns over the loss of a direct train from North Queensferry to East Fife after the Perth service was amended to serve Kirkcaldy instead of Dunfermline.

Now, Annabelle Ewing, whose constituency also includes Rosyth, Aberdour, Inverkeithing and Dalgety Bay, is urging ScotRail to rectify the issue.

She said: "I have been conducting an ongoing correspondence with ScotRail about the changes made to the Fife Circle timetable in May, particularly in regard to concerns that have been raised with me from constituents in North Queensferry about the impact the changes have had on services there.

"I have to say that I am extremely disappointed at the responses I have had to date from ScotRail which, to be frank, totally disregard the views and concerns of my constituents about the reduced service they are now experiencing.

"The lack of any movement at all from ScotRail on changes to the latest timetable is simply not acceptable to me and I assure my constituents in North Queensferry that I will be continuing to make the case for the improvements that they want to see."

The new timetable was launched in May and was a result of feedback that ScotRail received from a public consultation launched in August 2021.

Iain Mitchell, chair of North Queensferry Community Council, said: "I personally find it unfortunate that people are suffering inconvenience and, as it may be, distress, at Christmas as a result of this and I hope that it will be resolved soon."

In response to these concerns, David Simpson, ScotRail's service delivery director, said: “We know how much people right across the country rely on rail travel and that’s why everyone at ScotRail is focused on providing the safest, greenest and most reliable railway we can.

“Scotland’s Railway is still very much in a period of recovery from the pandemic, and our May 2022 timetable is a stepping stone in that process. As we welcome more people back to the rail network, and with the opening of the Levenmouth branch in 2024, we’ll make more changes to our timetable which will benefit the people of Fife.”