A FIFE MSP has called for improvements after Fife rail passengers were crammed into packed carriages on a two-carriage train.

Murdo Fraser, Conservative MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, has now written to ScotRail chief Alex Hynes asking when the ongoing issue wil end.

The politician said irate rail passengers have contacted him after an other incident saw an overcrowded train leaving Fife to get to Edinburgh at the weekend.

READ MORE: MSP slams Transport Minister over packed trains

In his letter to Mr Hynes, Mr Fraser mentions how he boarded a train going from Inverkeithing to Edinburgh earlier this year, that was so overcrowded many passengers could not get on and were left stranded at the platform waiting for the next available train.

Dunfermline Press:

“I have had many complaints through the years from constituents about the problem of ‘short trains,’ but despite ScotRail promising the issue would be solved it quite clearly is not," he said.

"The latest incident occurred on Saturday, December 9, when a constituent boarded a train from Burntisland bound for Edinburgh only to find it was completely overcrowded. He described the situation as being ‘packed in like sardines,’ and said that he was lucky to get on board, with many other people stranded at the platform.

“This train only had three carriages. I raised this issue at a meeting with the former Transport Minister Jenny Gilruth and ScotRail back in March, when the rail company said they planned to use at least four carriages and that the problem of overcrowded trains would be improved by May."

Mr Fraser said Fife commuters are getting a "very raw deal".

He added: “I can fully understand their anger and frustration at ScotRail continuing to use only two or three carriages on trains travelling to the Capital.

"This is why I have written to Alex Hynes, Managing Director of ScotRail, to ask him to explain why this practice of using just two or three carriages is still in operation and asking him when the issue will be rectified.”

Concern over the issue of peak time overcrowding has also been raised by Cowdenbeath MSP Annabelle Ewing who has written to transport minister Fiona Hyslop to raise the issue of peak time overcrowding “The issue of sardine trains at commuting times from stations in my constituency to Edinburgh has been an ongoing battle for many years that remains unresolved," she said.

"I have been pursuing the matter rigorously and recently secured a response from the Minister for Transport.

“The Minister has said that she appreciates that short forming of some trains and train cancellations are having an impact on commuters and apologises to both me and my constituents.

“Whilst I appreciate the points Ms Hyslop makes about the performance of ScotRail’s diesel fleet being legacy issues, mainly around staffing level and fleet choices made by the previous franchisee, I will ensure the views of my constituents are made clear, in no uncertain terms, when I meet with the Minister on January 10, 2024.

Dunfermline Press:

“The fact of the matter is that my constituents feel they are being treated like second class citizens and third class passengers.”

ScotRail say some Fife services have been operating with less carriages because of reliability issues in the fleet.

David Simpson, Service Delivery Director, said: “We know that one of the biggest concerns for our customers is lack of capacity on some trains, and we are sorry to any customers who experience overcrowding on their journey.

“Fife in particular is an area where we are doing everything we can to make improvements, and to ensure that we deliver the service that customers expect and deserve.”