The high-profile reopening of Borders Railway has sparked new life into the campaign for a direct rail link between Perth and Edinburgh.
The Scottish Government is being urged to redress a “gaping hole” in Perthshire’s transport infrastructure, which could cut around 35 minutes off daily commutes and provide a major boost to the local economy.
Mid-Scotland and Fife MSP Liz Smith called on Holyrood to re-consider a feasibility study into a Perth-Kinross-Edinburgh line.
She said: “It is very much a welcome step forward to see the reopening of the Borders Railway.
“For many communities, the loss of the railway was a huge blow to the local economy and tourism.
“The reopening of the Borders Railway only demonstrates the opportunity to consider further potential lines and stations being reopened and to this end, I believe a new feasibility study into a direct Perth-Kinross-Edinburgh line should be considered.”
Last year, a report from the Fraser of Allander Institute highlighted the huge contribution Scotland’s railways made to tourism, with ScotRail said to have carried 42 million passengers on leisure journeys across the country throughout 2012.
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “We are investing record levels in Scotland’s railways with our ambitious £5 billion package of improvements and new infrastructure.”
He added: “With improved connectivity already coming down the line from 2016, passengers in Fife will soon feel the benefit of the new Edinburgh Gateway major interchange which will open up more connections from Fife line services to Scotland’s capital and beyond.
“We have already provided extra Sunday services from west Fife to Edinburgh, upgraded Fife stations, and rolled out wi-fi on some Fife Circle trains and stations with more proposals to improve all aspects of the journey experience including frequency improvements and reductions in journey times across the Scottish network expected as part of the new Abellio ScotRail contract.”