Broughty Ferry could have an hourly train service from April next year.
The major boost to the city’s transport network has been recommended to the five companies who are bidding to take over the ScotRail franchise next year.
The five bidders are Abellio, Arriva, present operators First Group, MTR and National Express.
It is understood none dismissed the proposal by Tactrans, the area’s transport partnership, in meetings with the body prior to them submitting bids.
While the contents of their offers for the £2.5 billion, 10-year contract to run Scotland’s train services from next year are confidential, one of the bidders has said they hope to more than meet public expectations.
Dominic Booth, managing director of Abellio in the UK, said: “We are honoured to be on the shortlist to operate ScotRail, which plays such a crucial role in sustaining the long-term economic and social prosperity of Scotland.”
The company will throw in everything it can to exceed Transport Scotland’s requirements for the franchise and the expectations of passengers across the country, he added.
The Scottish Government’s transport department will announce the winning bid in October and the company will be expected to run trains from April 1 2015.
Broughty Ferry for long languished with a small, off-peak rail service, forcing thousands of commuters in Dundee’s biggest suburb on to the road where their cars caused traffic congestion and pollution.
A £650,000 upgrade of the station led to more trains stopping at Broughty Ferry, and there are now about 20 each weekday. None operate during the main commuter times, however, and Tactrans is pushing hard for the service to be expanded to meet this need.
The area transport partnership identified a number of service enhancements in its TERS (Tay Estuary Rail Strategy) in 2009, with a long-term aim an additional hourly stopping service between Arbroath and Glasgow.
Crucially for the Dundee commuter area, it would take in the stations of Carnoustie, Monifieth and Broughty Ferry.
Niall Gardiner, Tactrans projects manager, said the TERS study identified the ScotRail refranchise in 2015 as a key opportunity “to progress implementation of the full TERS service.”
The invitation to tender referred to the TERSA study and Tactran officers met all five tendering companies.
Eric Guthrie, director of Tactrans, said: “We highlighted what we believe are improvements that should be made to rail services in the Tactran region. We hope to work with the successful bidder to move forward rail services.”
Broughty Ferry councillor Laurie Bidwell, a long-term campaigner for better rail services, said: “The whole of Broughty Ferry will be enthusiastic about this prospect. I really hope that this happens and there seems to be a real will for it to happen.
“The service has improved and passenger figures show there has been a demand for that improvement. There are gaps in the timetable around commuter times and I think and hourly service would fill these gaps and enjoy even more public support.”