SMITH CONDEMNS "CONTEMPT FOR NE FIFE COMMUTERS"

1.00.00pm GMT Tue 11th Nov 2008

North East Fife MSP Iain Smith has slammed the response of Transport Scotland and Scotrail to concerns about cuts in morning train services to Edinburgh as "either complacent or contempt for North East Fife Commuters."

Responding to claims that the timetable changes would "deliver significant improved journey times and services for Fife commuters", Mr Smith said that he did not dispute that there would be more trains at certain times of the day, which he welcomed, but said his concern was the loss of key services to Kirkcaldy and Edinburgh at the peak commuter times.

"From Ladybank, for example, the 7.05, and 8.58 services are axed, whilst the present 7.26 will leave 8 minutes earlier and arrives 4 minutes later - a total journey time of 1 hour and 8 minutes compared to 57 minutes at present and the new service at 8.22 takes 1hour and 3 minutes compared to the 8.26 it effectively replace which takes 54 minutes.

"Cupar loses the 6.58 and the 8.19, a service that was restored following a huge public campaign just a few years ago. The 8.47 will no longer stop at other Fife Stations, which together with the axed 8.19 means that if you work or at college in Kirkcaldy you will have to get the 7.56 and hang around in Kirkcaldy from 8.20.

"There are also changes to train times to Dundee that will also cause inconvenience to North East Fife commuters," Iain Smith added.

"When it was first proposed to change the timetables to provide better journey times from Aberdeen and Inverness I raised concerns that this would mean fewer trains and longer journey times for passengers from North east Fife, but was consistently told this would not be the case.

"Now I have been proved correct . The Scottish Government, Transport Scotland and First Scotrail have failed to consult with the people who will be affected - the train passengers - and have shown complacency or contempt for the needs of my constituents.

"The Transport Minister owes the people of North East Fife an explanation, an apology and his best endeavours to put right these errors before he forces more people off the trains and back into cars," Iain Smith concluded.

ENDS